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Probably not helpful, but "Mostly Harmless" is also the title of Rob Rhinehart's personal blog[1]. Rhinehart's 2013 posts about his nutrition experiments under

by fernly 6y ago

Probably not helpful, but "Mostly Harmless" is also the title of Rob Rhinehart's personal blog[1]. Rhinehart's 2013 posts about his nutrition experiments under the "Mostly Harmless" title, led to the founding of Soylent.com and the modern meal replacement industry. So just possibly MH was a fan of Soylent, or of DIY Soylent. [1] https://www.robrhinehart.com/ https://www.robrhinehart.com/ Edit: on this notebook page[2] are the words Algae Pool and Nutrigs (nutrients?) The pages[3]-[4] seems devoted to planning or documenting an energy-bar recipe. Similar fascination with the nutritional details of artificial foods are expressed by hobbyists who dabble in DIY Soylent recipes, see for example [5], [6]. On this basis I think it at least credible that MH was aware of Soylent and DIY attempts at complete-nutrition foods, so might have learned the "Mostly Harmless" title from Rhinehart's blog. Which is no help whatever in identifying him, but interesting. [2] https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hkpqsnk858pzu7f/AADnCzr7tabArQ_xqi1udPOPa?dl=0&preview=EPODCASThikerupdatemostlyh_Page_11.handprint-microsoft.txt https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hkpqsnk858pzu7f/AADnCzr7tabArQ_xq... [3] https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hkpqsnk858pzu7f/AADnCzr7tabArQ_xqi1udPOPa?dl=0&preview=EPODCASThikerupdatemostlyh_Page_11.handprint-microsoft.txt https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hkpqsnk858pzu7f/AADnCzr7tabArQ_xq... [4] https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hkpqsnk858pzu7f/AADnCzr7tabArQ_xqi1udPOPa?dl=0&preview=EPODCASThikerupdatemostlyh_Page_11.handprint-microsoft.txt https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hkpqsnk858pzu7f/AADnCzr7tabArQ_xq... [5] https://www.reddit.com/r/soylent https://www.reddit.com/r/soylent [6] https://www.completefoods.co/ https://www.completefoods.co/

kevinmchugh 6y ago
As noted elsewhere on the thread, it's originally a Hitchhiker's Guide joke, a description of humans. It was also used as the title for one of the later books in the series. I wouldn't discount your explanation, but Rhinehart pulled that name from a very popular source.
fred_is_fred 6y ago
Remember that he didn't name himself. Mostly Harmless is a trail name - which other through hikers gave him - so I don't think this is related.
- geoelectric 6y ago
  Read an account somewhere that he got invited over to a fire if he didn't bite, or something like that, and replied that he was mostly harmless. It stuck from there. My guess is his choice of phrasing was influenced by Adams, given he was reportedly an sf/f enthusiast, but it's a pretty standard sort of geeky small talk reply.

by fernly 6y ago

kevinmchugh 6y ago

As noted elsewhere on the thread, it's originally a Hitchhiker's Guide joke, a description of humans. It was also used as the title for one of the later books in the series. I wouldn't discount your explanation, but Rhinehart pulled that name from a very popular source.

fred_is_fred 6y ago

Remember that he didn't name himself. Mostly Harmless is a trail name - which other through hikers gave him - so I don't think this is related.

geoelectric 6y ago
Read an account somewhere that he got invited over to a fire if he didn't bite, or something like that, and replied that he was mostly harmless. It stuck from there. My guess is his choice of phrasing was influenced by Adams, given he was reportedly an sf/f enthusiast, but it's a pretty standard sort of geeky small talk reply.