"The wicked understand, acknowledge and value the Wise—they depend on the Wise for their own cynical gain. The simple don’t see the point of wisdom. Those who do not know how to ask don’t even know wisdom is a thing." —The Four Children of the Seder as the Simulacra Levels
What does Wicked mean in this context?
The Wicked exist in opposition to the people of lived experience. The Cynic is a derivative experience from those who actually live life and try and do things.
Level 4: Symbols need not pretend to describe reality.
Okay I don't understand this level. Is this some port modern explanation, there is no objective truth or morals idea? Can you go another level deeper, symbols are more real than the world we live in.
Here's an example, Aristocrats deal with a Simulacrum of reality. Their "Reality" is the social pressures via the competing lifestyles of status created by other Elites. The Symbols of status are what is real and valuable to the Aristocrat.
A Coal Miner deal with the very "real" reality of mining actual energy out of the ground. The Physical Mine is what is real to the coal miner.
Both the Coal Miner and Aristocrat deal with Money which is some sort of Simulacrum game theory trust relationship contract thing.
By Strawperson:Level 1: “There’s a lion across the river.” = There’s a lion across the river.Level 2: “There’s a lion across the river.” = I don’t want to go (or have other people go) across the river.Level 3: “There’s a lion across the river.” = I’m with the popular kids who are too cool to go across the river.Level 4: “There’s a lion across the river.” = A firm stance against trans-river expansionism focus grouped well with undecided voters in my constituency.
I never realized a simple statement can be viewed from so many perspectives, I wonder of a AI Prompt Ecology can do a similar level of Analysis from various perspectives and then Synthesize action items
One way to test which level someone is on is what would make them say the opposite of what they say now:Level 1: If they see enough evidence in the opposite direction.Level 2: If people begin responding the opposite way to the same statement.Level 3: If your group starts saying the opposite.Level 4: If you benefit more from saying the opposite.
The idea of saying stuff people will object to in conversation or debate to check if they are engaging is a pretty great strategy.
Taking strong opinions is required for the Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis cognitive pattern