conformist-test

Paul Graham's chapter 'What You Can't Say' explores the concept of moral fashions—ideas and opinions that are taboo or forbidden to express in any given era despite their potential truth. He argues that just as fashion is invisible and arbitrary, so are moral constraints, which often suppress dissenting or heretical ideas that could be true. The chapter proposes methods to identify these forbidden truths by examining historical taboos, cultural differences, and the labels used to silence controversial opinions.

In Chapter 3 of "Hackers & Painters," Paul Graham explores the concept of moral fashions—ideas and opinions that are socially taboo or dangerous to express at a given time, despite potentially being true. He argues that just as fashion changes invisibly over time, so do moral beliefs, and that many accepted ideas today may be viewed as ridiculous or mistaken by future generations. Graham proposes methods to identify these unspoken truths, such as examining what ideas get people in trouble, analyzing labels used to suppress dissent, and comparing contemporary taboos with past and cross-cultural norms.