Proxy
see statistics, goodhart's law
definition a proxy is a variable that is not in itself directly relevant, but that serves in place of an unobservable or immeasurable variable --- Wikipedia
proxyes have either a positive or a negative correlation with the variable they are proxying
examples
Proxy Pursuit
recognizing and identifying proxyes is important, for often they are mistaken for the variables they are proxying. this can lead to what I like to call "proxy pursuits", where people work on chasing or fixing what they don't realize are deceptively poor proxies. these proxies, in some sense, are counterfeits --- Erik Goodwyn --- https://youtu.be/FxbBgqKwGW4?t=10m56s.
one class of proxy› pursuits that comes up frequently is people treating the symptoms because they don't see the disease
proxy› pursuits are susceptible to goodhart's law
examples
- going to the gym to build muscle (a proxy for fitness) instead of actually becoming fit
- taking easy classes to get a higher GPA (a proxy for knowledge) instead of actually learning more
- escaping from negative emotions (proxyes for deeper issues) instead actually working to fix the underlying issues
note this can take many forms: taking on busywork, using social media, projection...
- watching a movie to avoid boredom (a proxy for stagnation) instead of actually exploring interesting new things
- cheating to win (a proxy for being most fit) instead of actually becoming most fit
examples
- be authentic, except when someone is, they get dismissed, silenced, made fun of, criticized --- https://youtu.be/3DQrJ8Gsw9o?t=14m58s
- don't be scared/timid, except actually yes do be scared/timid there's a good reason to be
- don't be a conformist --- Petit cours d'autodéfense intellectuelle, 1.2.2, except actually yes do be because rejection can be costly
- just trust the hold, except when I did I took a sketchy fall could've hurt myself, so don't
- never judge a book by its cover, except actually there's a reason we do it and it's that it works well enough most of the time