6 ms·

YMMV. I tried to finish it based on a strong trusted recommendation, but could not get past the insufferable author-inserts, and the unpleasant and unbelievabl

YMMV. I tried to finish it based on a strong trusted recommendation, but could not get past the insufferable author-inserts, and the unpleasant and unbelievable hero character.

flangola7 4y ago
What's the name of it?
- karaterobot 4y ago
  Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality. I'm glad such a thing exists, but I could never work up the interest to read it myself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Methods_of_Rationality https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Methods_o...
  - pksebben 4y ago
    wait, really? I scrolled right past someone posting about "Harry Potter rationality fanfiction" and thought, "huh, oddly specific burn but it's chuckle worthy". it's an actual thing? This is a joke, right? tongue in cheek or something. Or should I go get some Brawndo to water my basil...
    - HDThoreaun 4y ago
      It's not only a thing, it's almost 2000 pages long.
kimixa 4y ago
I too didn't finish it - assuming it's "Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality". I got caught up by the multiple times the main character made sweeping assessments of things with insufficient information, and just happened to be right by accident (or author fiat I guess). The main characters figure things out by Thinking Really Hard, and experimentation is only ever done to prove they were right all along to other characters. That's an arrogant character who keeps falling into the right answer, not a scientist.
- SamReidHughes 4y ago
  It went above your head.
  - operatingthetan 4y ago
    It went above their head because it was poor writing in their view? Why would you think taste in writing has anything to do with their ability to understand the points the writer was trying to make? This seems unecessary and you are probably capable of coming up with a more interesting response.
    - SamReidHughes 4y ago
      It was supposed to be a flawed protagonist.
      - operatingthetan 4y ago
        It's commonly thought (and obvious) that Yud wrote the book about himself so I doubt it. It doesn't really fit the rationalist playbook either, they take themselves excessively seriously.
        SamReidHughes 4y ago
        The character's author-insert aspects are self-parody.
        operatingthetan 4y ago
        He's too fragile and prone to overcompensation for that, nice try. Of course he's going to back track after getting mercilessly mocked for it and then claim it was just a joke.
        AgentME 4y ago
favaq 4y ago
Really, you found it surprising that a book written by the insufferable author of the insufferable blog LessWrong is insufferable?

YMMV. I tried to finish it based on a strong trusted recommendation, but could not get past the insufferable author-inserts, and the unpleasant and unbelievable hero character.

flangola7 4y ago

What's the name of it?

karaterobot 4y ago
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality. I'm glad such a thing exists, but I could never work up the interest to read it myself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Methods_of_Rationality https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Methods_o...
- pksebben 4y ago
  wait, really? I scrolled right past someone posting about "Harry Potter rationality fanfiction" and thought, "huh, oddly specific burn but it's chuckle worthy". it's an actual thing? This is a joke, right? tongue in cheek or something. Or should I go get some Brawndo to water my basil...
  - HDThoreaun 4y ago
    It's not only a thing, it's almost 2000 pages long.

kimixa 4y ago

I too didn't finish it - assuming it's "Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality". I got caught up by the multiple times the main character made sweeping assessments of things with insufficient information, and just happened to be right by accident (or author fiat I guess). The main characters figure things out by Thinking Really Hard, and experimentation is only ever done to prove they were right all along to other characters. That's an arrogant character who keeps falling into the right answer, not a scientist.

SamReidHughes 4y ago
It went above your head.
- operatingthetan 4y ago
  It went above their head because it was poor writing in their view? Why would you think taste in writing has anything to do with their ability to understand the points the writer was trying to make? This seems unecessary and you are probably capable of coming up with a more interesting response.
  - SamReidHughes 4y ago
    It was supposed to be a flawed protagonist.
    - operatingthetan 4y ago
      It's commonly thought (and obvious) that Yud wrote the book about himself so I doubt it. It doesn't really fit the rationalist playbook either, they take themselves excessively seriously.
      - SamReidHughes 4y ago
        The character's author-insert aspects are self-parody.
        operatingthetan 4y ago
        He's too fragile and prone to overcompensation for that, nice try. Of course he's going to back track after getting mercilessly mocked for it and then claim it was just a joke.
        AgentME 4y ago

favaq 4y ago

Really, you found it surprising that a book written by the insufferable author of the insufferable blog LessWrong is insufferable?