Comments on: Costumes And Identity http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/costumes-and-identity.html Overcoming Bias is economist Robin Hanson’s blog, on honesty, signaling, disagreement, forecasting, and the far future. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:01:21 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Tommy Hanson http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/costumes-and-identity.html#comment-435535 Tommy Hanson Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:57:57 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20174#comment-435535 cute costume, dad cute costume, dad

]]> By: AnneC http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/costumes-and-identity.html#comment-435519 AnneC Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:23:55 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20174#comment-435519 The most unusual costume I saw on any of the kidlets that came to my door on Halloween this year was one I initially thought was "Mario", of the Super Mario Bros. series of Nintendo games. It entailed some sort of red-hued coverall-type shirt, a hat, and a painted-on mustache. But on closer examination I saw that this kid (a boy of maybe nine years old) had a logo on his shirt reading "Santa Clara University Facilities". My guess is that maybe one of his parents worked in facilities at SCU and he was dressing that way to emulate them, because otherwise I don't know where a kid of about 9 would get such an idea. The most unusual costume I saw on any of the kidlets that came to my door on Halloween this year was one I initially thought was “Mario”, of the Super Mario Bros. series of Nintendo games. It entailed some sort of red-hued coverall-type shirt, a hat, and a painted-on mustache. But on closer examination I saw that this kid (a boy of maybe nine years old) had a logo on his shirt reading “Santa Clara University Facilities”. My guess is that maybe one of his parents worked in facilities at SCU and he was dressing that way to emulate them, because otherwise I don’t know where a kid of about 9 would get such an idea.

]]> By: all dressed up with no place to go http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/costumes-and-identity.html#comment-435515 all dressed up with no place to go Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:14:16 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20174#comment-435515 It seems like a "this character isn't me", or "this character doesn't have to live by the same rules I do" would be enough to make a character engaging enough to be a good costume, which leaves a pretty wide range of possibilities. (I've almost always dressed as some sort of visual pun when I've done anything for Halloween. I'm not sure what that says about me, except that I like to be recognized as clever but usually think it would be socially undesirable to show off. Probably the same impulse as the pretty girls in sexy costumes.) It seems like a “this character isn’t me”, or “this character doesn’t have to live by the same rules I do” would be enough to make a character engaging enough to be a good costume, which leaves a pretty wide range of possibilities.

(I’ve almost always dressed as some sort of visual pun when I’ve done anything for Halloween. I’m not sure what that says about me, except that I like to be recognized as clever but usually think it would be socially undesirable to show off. Probably the same impulse as the pretty girls in sexy costumes.)

]]> By: Stuart Armstrong http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/costumes-and-identity.html#comment-435504 Stuart Armstrong Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:43:46 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20174#comment-435504 Which is why we dress up as zombies and serial killers? Which is why we dress up as zombies and serial killers?

]]> By: Vince http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/costumes-and-identity.html#comment-435495 Vince Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:44:04 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20174#comment-435495 Having actually been to the southern hemisphere, I can tell you that very little of it has the sort of seasonal climate that the northern hemisphere does. Plenty of places there, most of the big cities of the place, in fact, have static climates that don't change much throughout the year. Having actually been to the southern hemisphere, I can tell you that very little of it has the sort of seasonal climate that the northern hemisphere does. Plenty of places there, most of the big cities of the place, in fact, have static climates that don’t change much throughout the year.

]]> By: TGGP http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/costumes-and-identity.html#comment-435494 TGGP Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:31:29 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20174#comment-435494 Your theory about winter entails the testable prediction than in the southern hemisphere, where the "winter" months are more like out summer, girls should dress more modestly for Halloween. I had a thought about "More Meta Than Thou". Robin is dressed up in ancient Roman garb, perhaps because we associate thee and thou talk with them, But they spoke latin rather than English, so they wouldn't have said either word. Rather, we associate ancient Rome with Renaissance English theatre because the classics were of great importance to them and our knowledge of the classics is filtered through that time. Your theory about winter entails the testable prediction than in the southern hemisphere, where the “winter” months are more like out summer, girls should dress more modestly for Halloween.

I had a thought about “More Meta Than Thou”. Robin is dressed up in ancient Roman garb, perhaps because we associate thee and thou talk with them, But they spoke latin rather than English, so they wouldn’t have said either word. Rather, we associate ancient Rome with Renaissance English theatre because the classics were of great importance to them and our knowledge of the classics is filtered through that time.

]]> By: John Maxwell IV http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/costumes-and-identity.html#comment-435492 John Maxwell IV Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:57:59 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20174#comment-435492 And what is the significance of MEAU? And what is the significance of MEAU?

]]> By: Robin Hanson http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/costumes-and-identity.html#comment-435484 Robin Hanson Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:40:02 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20174#comment-435484 It wouldn't be appealing to dress up in costumes if there wasn't something engaging or admirable about the characters we portray. It wouldn’t be appealing to dress up in costumes if there wasn’t something engaging or admirable about the characters we portray.

]]> By: Robin Hanson http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/costumes-and-identity.html#comment-435478 Robin Hanson Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:10:20 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20174#comment-435478 I just added my costume to the post. I just added my costume to the post.

]]> By: Robin Hanson http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/costumes-and-identity.html#comment-435477 Robin Hanson Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:09:57 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20174#comment-435477 Indeed! I wonder what the kids wanted to dress as instead. Indeed! I wonder what the kids wanted to dress as instead.

]]>