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One of my undergrad math teachers once held a job as a computer. She liked to tell the story of how she once spent about a week solving a complex integral. The
by geomark 11y ago
One of my undergrad math teachers once held a job as a computer. She liked to tell the story of how she once spent about a week solving a complex integral. The answer turned out to be 1. She said she felt both elated and kind of disappointed.
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- astrange 11y agoThis is basically the plot of an Iain M. Banks novel. (Spoilers.)
- feral 11y agoI've read that novel. I think your comment, while clever, and admittedly a little oblique, is still a major spoiler. Why would you write 'spoilers' after your comment? Its probably better to say nothing. Would you consider editing?
- Dylan16807 11y agoYou can't give a "maybe don't read this" spoiler warning without saying what it could spoil. This is more of a "don't ask what book".
- reustle 11y agoI don't understand how people continue to expect that it is nearly their right to not be spoiled about every book, movie, and so on. You're on the internet, on a website with public comments. If it is such a big deal to not be spoiled about an old book you probably weren't even going to read, then maybe you should reconsider your browsing habits.
- PhasmaFelis 11y agoPardon me, do you understand what "spoiler" means?
- qubex 11y agoIt's a biased and charged term. Anticipating a plot-point does not necessarily ruin the pleasure of experiencing the work — most of the enjoyment comes from the artistry of manufacture (the prose, the cinematography) than discovering the eventual outcome. Nobody who ever went to an art gallery complains about photographs of the works in the catalogue ‘spoiling’ the paintings.
- nickpsecurity 11y agoDepends on who you are. The element of surprise is a huge part of works, esp horror or suspense movies. Eliminating the surprise leaves out a big chunk of the experience.
- qubex 11y agoIn what way is anybody ever ‘surprised’ by a horror movie's relatable narrative (as opposed to those entirely circumstantial moments that “make you jump” and that — significantly — you cannot really express)?
- nickpsecurity 11y agoI'm not sure you'd get it if you haven't experienced it up to this point. Maybe just how your mind works. I know some people walk into a movie consciously or unconsciously determined to not be surprised. They're usually disappointed to varying degrees or at least not surprised by many things. Best way to experience those movies is mentally go with the illusion for at least the duration of the movie rather than try to outsmart the director. I mean, common tropes you'll see coming anyway but one gets more out of it overall.
- PhasmaFelis 11y ago> Anticipating a plot-point does not necessarily ruin the pleasure of experiencing the work No, actually, it does significantly decrease the pleasure of the work for me. I get the most enjoyment from narrative work the first time through, when everything is a surprise, and if it's been spoiled I never get that experience, and my enjoyment is considerably muted. So are you asserting that I'm a liar, or that I'm somehow confused about the inputs and outputs of my own mind, or...what? I'd honestly like to know; this is not the first time someone has told me that I'm not qualified to describe my own emotional experiences, and I do not understand it.