“Stop and check! The parable of the prince and the dog” by Dumbledore’s Army

This post is a response to John Wentsworth's recent post on Generalized Hangriness specifically as it applies outrage, an emotion that is especially likely to make false claims. I expect that some readers will find it obvious, but I hope others will find it useful to have the concept laid out clearly. My aim is to offer a reminder of why you should stop and check before acting on outrage, and also to provide a useful parable to explain to non-rationalists:

Once upon a time, a prince was exiled without attendants. He went to live in a cottage in the forest, alone except for his infant son and loyal dog[1]. One day, as he had on other days before, he left his dog to guard the baby and went alone into the forest to hunt for food. When he returned he found a horrifying scene: the child's crib had [...]

The original text contained 2 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

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First published:
July 12th, 2025

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/EYXeqgLqacooKHL4j/stop-and-check-the-parable-of-the-prince-and-the-dog

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.