1. Prologue

"If I Can't Explain It to Said Achmiz, I Probably Don't Understand It"

This post isn't really about him, but I'd like to begin with a tribute to my friend Said Achmiz, the wisest person I know.

The choice of adjective is deliberately chosen as term of art. Achmiz is not the most quick-witted, nor the most knowledgable, nor the most creative, nor the most savvy. I say wise because the nature of his peculiar talent is the same one ascribed to Socrates: he knows what he doesn't know.

Most people don't. At least, I don't. All too often, when asked, "Do you get what I'm saying?", I reply, "I think so," with perfect sincerity, only realizing later that I was lying—that I could not have paraphrased my interlocutor's ideas, let alone explained where I agreed or disagreed with them. In retrospect (and only in retrospect), it's clear that I didn't want to disrupt the harmonious give-and-take flow of social exchange, that I feared being seen as foolish or obstinate for having the temerity to say, "No, I don't understand"—and to continue standing by that No should understanding not be forthcoming.

The [...]

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Outline:

(00:10) 1. Prologue

(00:13) "If I Can't Explain It to Said Achmiz, I Probably Don't Understand It"

(04:21) 2. The Ban Contradicts Less Wrong's Stated Values

(04:27) An Inversion of Values

(10:10) If "Every Individual Owns Their Own Judgment of You", Then the Ban Rationale Is Untenable

(12:55) The Ban Reneges on LessWrong 2.0's Single Locus of Discussion Mandate and Archipelago Doctrine

(20:27) 3. The Case for the Ban Rests on Misrepresentations

(20:33) Misrepresentations in Habryka's Analysis of Achmiz's Comments

(25:17) Misrepresentations in Habryka's Claims of Alleged Author Complaints About Achmiz

(35:22) Misrepresentations in Habryka's Characterization of Achmiz on Obligations to Reply

(39:59) 4. The Ban Was Unnecessary

(40:03) User-Level Bans Are a Sufficient and Less Intrusive Remedy

(44:00) Effort Ratios Are Logically Irrelevant

(47:19) 5. The Founding Values Have Not Been Refuted

(48:16) Ideological Turing Test-Passing Is Not an Argument

(51:46) Fortitude Is a Rationalist Skill

(55:53) 6. What I Think Is Actually Going On

(56:41) Achmiz's Detractors Accuse Him of Passive-Aggression

(57:55) ... But It's Hard to Believe That Open Disdain Would Be Better

(01:03:58) The Real Rule Is to Cover for the Ingroup

(01:09:13) Preventing "Relitigation" Is a Pretext for Suppressing Dissent

(01:15:58) 7. Conclusions and Recommendations for Readers

(01:16:04) LessWrong 2.0 Has Forfeited Its Intellectual Legitimacy

(01:20:26) LessWrong 2.0 Is a Website, Not a Culture or an Authority

(01:23:50) Speak the Truth, Even If Your Voice Trembles

The original text contained 47 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

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First published:
May 30th, 2026

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/HaH9mTdKt8pcNAtYn/comment-on-banning-said-achmiz

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

“Comment on “Banning Said Achmiz”” by Zack_M_Davis

LessWrong (30+ Karma)

“Comment on “Banning Said Achmiz”” by Zack_M_Davis