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Matt Bateman@mbateman• over 1 year ago

My favorite form of practical reasoning “advice” is what I call Demotivational Interviewing. It looks like: person 1: Ugh I have to go to the dentist person 2: Good news, you don’t have to, you can let your teeth rot

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Matt Bateman@mbateman• over 1 year ago

Replying to @mbateman

(Persons 1 and 2 can be the same person)

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Matt Bateman@mbateman• over 1 year ago

Replying to @mbateman

Good news, you don’t have to communicate honestly with your partner, you can just let your relationship toxicity levels creep ever upwards

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Matt Bateman@mbateman• over 1 year ago

Replying to @mbateman

Good news, you don’t have to publish, you can just not get tenure

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Matt Bateman@mbateman• over 1 year ago

Replying to @mbateman

This last is a good example of a case where it really could go both ways. Completely fine to give up on tenure, and can be helpfully sharpening to put it in Demotivational Interviewing terms

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Matt Bateman@mbateman• over 1 year ago

Replying to @mbateman

This sounds sardonic how I put it but it isn’t really. Basically: state the reasonable worst case consequence of not doing what you are avoiding or dreading, in a matter of fact enough way that you can actually consider choosing that consequence. Then choose one way or the other.

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Matt Bateman@mbateman• over 1 year ago

Replying to @mbateman

https://t.co/wdrH6zahrj

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