3 ms·

It’s a very particular style of prose so I can see why you might have a strong negative reaction, but - honestly I have the opposite reaction. The narrator doe

It’s a very particular style of prose so I can see why you might have a strong negative reaction, but - honestly I have the opposite reaction. The narrator doesn’t sound like a man whose morals I much respect - but the way the story is written is playful, all the little loops of foreshadowing and callback are fun; it reminds me a bit of Neal Stephenson, on the edge of trying too hard to be smart while also affecting mock humility - but winking at the audience the whole time. “you’re clever enough to be in on the joke,” it reassures you. I think rather than seeing that style as an obstacle to the point being made, the style is part of the point. It’s a mode of storytelling to be enjoyed. (Or not, in your case.) The point is that the narrator is this wonderful character who is smarter than his surroundings and he gets up to mischief, the consequences of which echo farther than you might expect. Is one man truly responsible for shaping the way an entire generation thinks, by careful manipulation of Wikipedia? Could you well have done the same, if you were the right man, at the right time and place? Would you?

bawolff 3y ago
Perhaps my issue is i find the premise unbelievable and lose suspension of disbelief, which makes me annoyed with the rest of the story. People try to manipulate wikipedia in this fashion every day. Many of those who do are much much more sophisticated than the protagonist in this story and the story doesn't take into account the checks & balances to prevent this sort of thing. (Edit - to be clear, not saying he couldn't have some success... just total mind control is a bit much) Perhaps that's just the conceit for the story and we are supposed to accept it so that the rest of the story can take place. However stories about individuals getting ultimate power and then struggling with the moral implications of that are a dime a dozen. The only unique thing about this story is the premise, which i find obnoxiously simplified.
- pvg 3y ago
  Careful, you keep adding this sort of detail and maybe take out some of the bombast ('insufferable', 'obnoxiously') and next thing you know, you'd end up with a perfectly reasonable personal critique of this thing!
- resolutebat 3y ago
  The story is set in the early days of Wikipedia, when awareness of its power and restraints on manipulation were much weaker. As a wiki admin myself, what I found unbelievable is the length to which they supposedly went to maintain the subterfuge. Most sock puppets and PR flacks are glaringly obvious.

bawolff 3y ago

Perhaps my issue is i find the premise unbelievable and lose suspension of disbelief, which makes me annoyed with the rest of the story. People try to manipulate wikipedia in this fashion every day. Many of those who do are much much more sophisticated than the protagonist in this story and the story doesn't take into account the checks & balances to prevent this sort of thing. (Edit - to be clear, not saying he couldn't have some success... just total mind control is a bit much) Perhaps that's just the conceit for the story and we are supposed to accept it so that the rest of the story can take place. However stories about individuals getting ultimate power and then struggling with the moral implications of that are a dime a dozen. The only unique thing about this story is the premise, which i find obnoxiously simplified.

pvg 3y ago
Careful, you keep adding this sort of detail and maybe take out some of the bombast ('insufferable', 'obnoxiously') and next thing you know, you'd end up with a perfectly reasonable personal critique of this thing!
resolutebat 3y ago
The story is set in the early days of Wikipedia, when awareness of its power and restraints on manipulation were much weaker. As a wiki admin myself, what I found unbelievable is the length to which they supposedly went to maintain the subterfuge. Most sock puppets and PR flacks are glaringly obvious.