3 ms·

"Reads science fiction, likes computers, enjoys challenging games, is generally into bright-person stuff." I've never liked or bothered with science fiction, w

by axod 16y ago

"Reads science fiction, likes computers, enjoys challenging games, is generally into bright-person stuff." I've never liked or bothered with science fiction, whilst I consider myself pretty techy (I prefer to say techy than geeky). Why is reading science fiction considered something bright people do? I'm not convinced it ties up at all.

bwooceli 16y ago
[opinion] Good Science Fiction adds layers of abstraction onto the narrative which asks the reader to think differently about a given topic than a "reality-based" fiction narrative might. Intelligent/Bright people are good at this kind of multi-tasking and get enjoyment out of the process. This doesn't mean that a requisite hallmark of intelligence is enjoying sci-fi, it just means that to really appreciate it you may need to be smarter than the average bear[/opinion]
c0riander 16y ago
I would imagine it's reverse attribution -- most people who read SF are bright, therefore bright people read SF...
jgrahamc 16y ago
Me neither, not really into science fiction; probably qualify as bright. The reality is that just as ESR has done over and over again he has cast the hacker persona as a reflection of himself. If you read his writings on hackers then he's really describing himself and imagining that everyone is like this. Here he's saying that the 'geek persona' is another ESR-type. I found this very annoying when I read the hacker description in The New Hackers Dictionary because there were thinks that I just wasn't: 1. Learn to write your native language well. 2. Read science fiction. Go to science fiction conventions. 3. Train in a martial-arts form. 4. Study an actual meditation discipline. 5. Develop an analytical ear for music. 6. Learn to play some musical instrument well, or how to sing. 7. Develop your appreciation of puns and wordplay. So 1, 5 and 7 are things that I'm in agreement with. I have no interest in 2, 3 or 4. 6 would probably be fun. http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html
- pstuart 16y ago
  I've seen enough mention of 3 & 4 on this site to say it fits in well with this crowd. I'd recommend checking out Philip K. Dick for science fiction worth reading (more on the nature of self than on rocket ships).

by axod 16y ago

bwooceli 16y ago

[opinion] Good Science Fiction adds layers of abstraction onto the narrative which asks the reader to think differently about a given topic than a "reality-based" fiction narrative might. Intelligent/Bright people are good at this kind of multi-tasking and get enjoyment out of the process. This doesn't mean that a requisite hallmark of intelligence is enjoying sci-fi, it just means that to really appreciate it you may need to be smarter than the average bear[/opinion]

c0riander 16y ago

I would imagine it's reverse attribution -- most people who read SF are bright, therefore bright people read SF...

jgrahamc 16y ago

Me neither, not really into science fiction; probably qualify as bright. The reality is that just as ESR has done over and over again he has cast the hacker persona as a reflection of himself. If you read his writings on hackers then he's really describing himself and imagining that everyone is like this. Here he's saying that the 'geek persona' is another ESR-type. I found this very annoying when I read the hacker description in The New Hackers Dictionary because there were thinks that I just wasn't: 1. Learn to write your native language well. 2. Read science fiction. Go to science fiction conventions. 3. Train in a martial-arts form. 4. Study an actual meditation discipline. 5. Develop an analytical ear for music. 6. Learn to play some musical instrument well, or how to sing. 7. Develop your appreciation of puns and wordplay. So 1, 5 and 7 are things that I'm in agreement with. I have no interest in 2, 3 or 4. 6 would probably be fun. http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html

pstuart 16y ago
I've seen enough mention of 3 & 4 on this site to say it fits in well with this crowd. I'd recommend checking out Philip K. Dick for science fiction worth reading (more on the nature of self than on rocket ships).