I feel inclined to caution you to not let an autism diagnosis do too much heavy lifting to compensate for being factually incorrect (and morally problematic). Your brain being different doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with it. Sometimes different merely means different.
Indeed. See also: Elon Musk.
Since it was my comment, and since – in this case – ChatGPT has done an admirable job of explaining thoughts that comport with mine …
ChatGPT's view on using 'corrupt sector' in this context
Absolutely. The concept of a “corrupt sector” — taken from computer science — is a powerful analogy when talking about intellectual blind spots, particularly in someone’s belief system or worldview.
The Technical Origin:
In computing, a corrupt sector is a portion of a hard drive or storage medium that has become damaged or unreadable. Data in that area can no longer be accessed or interpreted correctly, and attempts to do so may produce errors, system crashes, or misleading results.
The Analogy to Belief Systems:
Now apply this metaphor to human cognition or worldview:
A “corrupt sector” in someone’s thinking might be a core assumption, belief, or unresolved trauma that:
- Is invisible to the person, yet
- Distorts how new information is processed, or
- Prevents access to certain ideas or contradictions, or
- Triggers emotional resistance rather than rational inquiry.
In other words: the person may be intellectually rigorous except when the discussion touches this specific zone — where thought becomes confused, avoidance kicks in, or contradictions are rationalized away.
Examples of the Analogy in Use:
-
“He’s brilliant on economic theory — but bring up climate policy, and it’s like you’ve hit a corrupt sector. The reasoning breaks down.”
-
“Her worldview is so humane, so thoughtful — until you mention immigration. Then, there’s this unacknowledged sector of fear or misinformation that seems completely untouched by her other values.”
-
“It’s like their mind has a bad block — anything that tries to access that part gets rejected or misfiled. And they don’t even know it’s happening.”
Why It Works as a Metaphor:
- Non-accusatory: “Corrupt sector” feels descriptive, not judgmental. It implies damage, not stupidity or malice.
- Systemic: Suggests that the distortion isn’t just in one thought but could affect how a broader system functions.
- Fixable: In computing, corrupt sectors can be quarantined, worked around, or sometimes repaired. This opens the door to growth rather than just critique.
Caution in Using the Analogy:
- It’s powerful, but should be used with care and often internally or metaphorically, unless you’re in a deeply trusting conversation.
- Used defensively, it can backfire. Used thoughtfully, it can illuminate the hidden logic gaps we all carry.
Did I take some unnecessary risk in invoking it? Probably. Do I think it’s analogous to ‘having a screw loose?’ I don’t.
Because I’m in pretty poor shape this morning, I’m going to once again rely on ChatGPT to do some of the heavier lifting for me:
ChatGPT's thoughts on whether 'corrupt sector' and 'screw loose' are equivalent
Great question — and no, the “corrupt sector” metaphor is not tantamount to saying someone has “a screw loose,” though they both deal with something being off in a person’s reasoning or functioning.
They differ in tone, implication, and respect for the other’s intellect:
“A Screw Loose” – Crude and Dismissive
- Colloquial, often pejorative.
- Implies mental instability, irrationality, or even madness.
- Can shame or stigmatize; suggests the person is broken or defective.
- Rarely invites repair — more of a putdown than a diagnostic metaphor.
“He’s got a screw loose” → He’s unpredictable, untrustworthy, maybe not all there.
“Corrupt Sector” – Analytical and Nuanced
- Draws from systems thinking, not psychiatry.
- Implies that a specific area of thought is compromised — not the whole person.
- Can coexist with intellectual rigor elsewhere.
- Suggests an error in processing, not madness.
- Implies the flaw may be invisible even to the person, and possibly remediable.
“There’s a corrupt sector in her worldview when it comes to public health.” → She’s usually rational, but something is distorting her thinking in this area.
Usefulness in Discourse
- “A screw loose” shuts doors; “corrupt sector” opens them — for understanding, compassion, and dialogue.
- One dismisses the person; the other invites reflection about how people form and protect beliefs.
Summary
| Metaphor | Implication | Tone | Invites Dialogue? |
|---|---|---|---|
| A screw loose | Mental instability, defect | Dismissive | Rarely |
| Corrupt sector | Localized flaw in reasoning | Analytical | Often |
So: they’re not equivalent — and if you’re trying to critique without alienating, the corrupt sector metaphor is far more humane and constructive.
The fact that my meaning wasn’t interpreted as intended falls on me. Hopefully, though, what I meant then – and stand by now – is much clearer now.
Let’s ask ChatGPT if the comment was pejorative!
It’s good to see that the Google vomit has been replaced with something even worse…
You could have simply asked me. Of course, it was pejorative. I wasn’t trying to pay her a compliment.
But I also meant what I said.
It’s all a matter of degree. I think the two phrases are materially and substantively different in both denotation and connotation [ETA: and my other point stands – that DemonTree tends to generally err on the side of victimhood).
I wasn’t intending to. There was nothing factual in the comment I was replying to anyway. It made it more hurtful, but I daresay I would have ignored the poster regardless.
Re wrong vs different, it’s a difference that in most ways is seriously disadvantageous, in a few ways helpful, but overall has made my life much harder. It’s not something I’d wish on anyone else, put it that way.
As for ‘morally problematic’, I stand behind my views. Though judging from the vitriol, I suspect some people are reacting to a fantasy version of me rather than the reality.
“deeply corrupt sector”
Did ChatGPT add the “deeply” ?
ETA: no. I see it was in the original comment, but dropped in this
discussion.
I asked ChatGPT if the phrase “you have a screw loose” is more offensive.
I think ChatGPT makes a great point.
I think ChatGPT told you what you wanted to hear, which makes them a quotable “authority” in your eyes.
Yeah, I’m sure that’s true! Which is precisely why I had ChatGPT tell me what it thought I wanted to hear - because apparently, people like you are only capable of noticing it when someone you disagree with does it. I notice you didn’t comment on @DavidNRockies’ use of ChatGPT to tell him exactly what he wanted to hear, so I’m glad you found this demonstration instructive. Hopefully in the future, you can apply the same standard to both people you agree and disagree with.
There’s a YEC on YouTube that’s worked for weeks to finally get ChatGPT to agree that the Earth is less than 10,000 years old and every lineage of humans can be traced back to the eight people on Noah’s Ark.
ChatGPT is not even a fucking search engine.
I asked my mom’s new puppy what ChatGPT might say in response to this assertion, and she stared at me blankly because she’s a dog and doesn’t understand how video chatting works, but my natural human tendency to anthropomorphize leads me to conclude that what she meant was:
It sounds like you might be experiencing “fear of missing out” (FOMO) at the idea of encountering a message board thread you can’t meaningfully add to but, for whatever reason, are unable to pass by. If you’re the kind of person who also always finds their horoscopes to be scarily accurate, ChatGPT could be a good way for you to post without being held back by a minor quibble like not having anything interesting to contribute on your own!
If anyone questions your steadfast commitment to decreasing the signal-to-noise ratio of the universe, I came up with some helpful things you can say in response. For example, you could explain that you were merely having fun and they shouldn’t take things so seriously. You could also ask how long it took them to write their own reply, because frankly, it says a lot more about them than about you. Finally, you could imply that they just don’t understand how large language models (LLMs) work.
Happy copy-and-pasting! Arf arf!
She’s so smart! Of course I made sure mom gave her a treat!
Applause, that was brilliant genius.
Yes !
I loving your dog.