4 ms·

top of hn? what happened?

by modzu 6y ago

throw1122334 6y ago
Upvote/downvote sites are very easy to manipulate: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a9335/upvotes-downvotes-and-the-science-of-the-reddit-hivemind-15784871/ https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a9335/upvote...
totalZero 6y ago
The pandemic makes ongoing science/technology news, and has substantial impact upon the work culture, sector demand, and societal role of the tech sphere. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have perished from this disease and it didn't have to be this way. There is a major thrust of anti-intellectualism in the US, Brazil, and other countries. As "hackers," we try to understand what the intellectuals believe. Then, we figure out what's happening in the real world, and finally, we break the intellectuals' rules in pragmatic (but not expedient) ways. The guy who just won the US presidential election claimed that we are entering a "dark winter," and it's a pretty relevant topic to HN in my view. COVID-19 sits at the unlikely confluence of medical science, tethics (shout out to Gavin Belson), statistics, system dynamics, and public policy.
- modzu 6y ago
  your comment is fair, but the LA times article is about super-spreaders.. remember super-predators? the fearmongering pumped out of mainstream media, which well predates covid, isnt why any of us read hn. if a covid topic is to remain on hn until the pandemic is resolved, there could be better sources.
  - totalZero 6y ago
    The term "super-spreader" was used to describe certain individuals in past disease outbreaks, including SARS. It means that there are some people who produce and share far more viral material than average (right-tail individuals, so to speak). There is no more a connection between "super-spreaders" and "super-predators," as there is between either of those two terms and "superman." https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/06/15/1003576/whats-a-coronavirus-superspreader/ https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/06/15/1003576/whats-a-...
    - modzu 6y ago
      im familiar with the pareto principle. the point im trying to make is just that its usage by the la times is intended to trigger fear. super-man doesn't trigger fear -- thats the difference in analogies. it would be equally valid to say, "virus spreads via supertypical method around a supertypical gathering", imo
      - totalZero 6y ago
        I think you're ascribing too much malice to the phrase "super-spreader." It just means "someone who spreads beyond what is typical." The pejorative connotation from "super-predator" comes from the "-predator" part. If you're afraid of the word "spreader," then I suggest that you stay away from the lawn care section of your local home improvement retailer. People are afraid of disease. That doesn't mean we should stop using the word "disease." EDIT: I can't speak for the LA Times, and I'm not trying to defend them. Maybe they have an axe to grind. My comments are restricted to the terminology itself.

top of hn? what happened?

by modzu 6y ago

top of hn? what happened?

Upvote/downvote sites are very easy to manipulate: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a9335/upvotes-downvotes-and-the-science-of-the-reddit-hivemind-15784871/ https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a9335/upvote...

totalZero 6y ago

The pandemic makes ongoing science/technology news, and has substantial impact upon the work culture, sector demand, and societal role of the tech sphere. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have perished from this disease and it didn't have to be this way. There is a major thrust of anti-intellectualism in the US, Brazil, and other countries. As "hackers," we try to understand what the intellectuals believe. Then, we figure out what's happening in the real world, and finally, we break the intellectuals' rules in pragmatic (but not expedient) ways. The guy who just won the US presidential election claimed that we are entering a "dark winter," and it's a pretty relevant topic to HN in my view. COVID-19 sits at the unlikely confluence of medical science, tethics (shout out to Gavin Belson), statistics, system dynamics, and public policy.

modzu 6y ago
your comment is fair, but the LA times article is about super-spreaders.. remember super-predators? the fearmongering pumped out of mainstream media, which well predates covid, isnt why any of us read hn. if a covid topic is to remain on hn until the pandemic is resolved, there could be better sources.
- totalZero 6y ago
  The term "super-spreader" was used to describe certain individuals in past disease outbreaks, including SARS. It means that there are some people who produce and share far more viral material than average (right-tail individuals, so to speak). There is no more a connection between "super-spreaders" and "super-predators," as there is between either of those two terms and "superman." https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/06/15/1003576/whats-a-coronavirus-superspreader/ https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/06/15/1003576/whats-a-...
  - modzu 6y ago
    im familiar with the pareto principle. the point im trying to make is just that its usage by the la times is intended to trigger fear. super-man doesn't trigger fear -- thats the difference in analogies. it would be equally valid to say, "virus spreads via supertypical method around a supertypical gathering", imo
    - totalZero 6y ago
      I think you're ascribing too much malice to the phrase "super-spreader." It just means "someone who spreads beyond what is typical." The pejorative connotation from "super-predator" comes from the "-predator" part. If you're afraid of the word "spreader," then I suggest that you stay away from the lawn care section of your local home improvement retailer. People are afraid of disease. That doesn't mean we should stop using the word "disease." EDIT: I can't speak for the LA Times, and I'm not trying to defend them. Maybe they have an axe to grind. My comments are restricted to the terminology itself.