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Off-topic, but why is it that Terry Tao's blog attracts such low-quality comments? When I look at SSC/ACX, Shtetl-Optimized, Marginal Revolution, etc. the comm
by snakeboy 5y ago
Off-topic, but why is it that Terry Tao's blog attracts such low-quality comments? When I look at SSC/ACX, Shtetl-Optimized, Marginal Revolution, etc. the comments are mostly constructive, engaged, and well-informed. With Tao, it's a huge proportion of random people asking for generic life advice, or fanboy-ism.
This seems counter-intuitive, because Tao's blog is by far the least accessible of those above 3 blogs on a technical level. There's almost no reason to visit Tao's blog if you don't have a graduate maths degree.
- thaumasiotes 5y ago> When I look at SSC/ACX, Shtetl-Optimized, Marginal Revolution, etc. the comments are mostly constructive, engaged, and well-informed. There are constructive, well-informed comments on Marginal Revolution, but I wouldn't call them the majority...
- fossuser 5y agoTao has gotten a lot more public media attention for the most part (Netflix, shows, TV, news, etc.) than any of the others which remain more niche. I'd guess as a result the audiences of the others are better selected to lean more high quality.
- sfsylvester 5y agoThere's a Netflix show about him? Also there's plenty of shows and news about MU, SSC etc. I'm also surprised that Tao's rather specifically niche blog attracts such comments. Is it possible that the other blogs are just better moderated and Professor Tao doesn't need or care to?
- roflc0ptic 5y agoThere really, really isn’t that much news about SSC. Scott spent most of his blogging career being incredibly averse to publicity.
- fighterpilot 5y agoBecause Terry Tao is a celebrity. People find his blog after watching him on Youtube.
- strikelaserclaw 5y agoThis is true, his video on gaps between prime numbers had over 2 million views. People find his genius fascinating even if they don't understand his work.
- paulpauper 5y agolarge foreign readership , so English is not a primary language. probably also a lot of spam comments that get through. Those other sides also tend to have a fair share of low quality comments as well. A lot of troll bait or off topic stuff. I just don't read the comments, often I find that I am not missing out on much by not doing so.
- drenvuk 5y agoYou put etc. which leads me to believe you know of more good blogs. Can you please list them?
- paulpauper 5y agolook at the blogrolls. they all link to each other. that's hwo to find related blogs. (or as Terrance Tao would probably call, a complete graph)
- drenvuk 5y agothanks.
- snakeboy 5y agoI'd second what the other poster said - your best bet are recommendations of blogs you like already. Looking at my RSS feed, I'd also endorse Andrew Gelman's blog (applied stats), A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry (history), and Applied Divinity Studies (rationalism à la ACX).
- john5smith 5y agoProbably, prestige/celebrity. (And perhaps different levels of active moderation/pruning?) Tao is as certified as genius as they come. Fields Medalist. These attracts crackpots in a more significant amount or more mainstream/less sophisticated people wanting to engage with a celebrity. The others you have mentioned have less or much less prestige. The reward for engaging is much more intrinsic (curiosity/interest in the topic). They might also have more agressive moderation which perhaps is absent on Tao’s blog (no idea if this is the case).
- jonas21 5y agoAll blogs attract low-quality comments. Whether you see them is a function of how much effort is put into moderation. I'm just speculating, but Terry Tao probably has better things to do with his time.