″...rationalist-porn for daydreamers...”—exactly what is wrong with this?
For that matter, what would be wrong with ”...rationalist-porn...” or even just ”...porn...”? (Well, to be serious, I would understand objections to LW becoming that.)
Books of military jet-aircraft filled with pictures and stats are compendiums of factual material and are perfectly valid reference materials. That they are also used as “aerospace porn” by a certain fandom are only objectionable insofar as this interferes with their function. (Perhaps by greedy publishers pushing to include so many pictures that content suffers.)
How are the two much different? I find that I sometimes regret the countless hours that I’ve devoted to stimulating myself with porn instead of becoming a better musician. Yet I’ve spent far less mental energy regretting my daydreaming, which is about as big a time-sink. I like daydreaming. I don’t regret any of my daydreaming concerning sci-fi topics. And why is it that I don’t think I’ll ever regret all of the time I’ve “wasted” playing music?
″...rationalist-porn for daydreamers...”—exactly what is wrong with this?
For that matter, what would be wrong with ”...rationalist-porn...” or even just ”...porn...”? (Well, to be serious, I would understand objections to LW becoming that.)
Books of military jet-aircraft filled with pictures and stats are compendiums of factual material and are perfectly valid reference materials. That they are also used as “aerospace porn” by a certain fandom are only objectionable insofar as this interferes with their function. (Perhaps by greedy publishers pushing to include so many pictures that content suffers.)
Does my analogy apply to LW?
Porn is fine, it’s the daydreaming that will bite you.
Walter Mitty is not a famous aviator.
How are the two much different? I find that I sometimes regret the countless hours that I’ve devoted to stimulating myself with porn instead of becoming a better musician. Yet I’ve spent far less mental energy regretting my daydreaming, which is about as big a time-sink. I like daydreaming. I don’t regret any of my daydreaming concerning sci-fi topics. And why is it that I don’t think I’ll ever regret all of the time I’ve “wasted” playing music?
Daydreaming is entertainment and animal-style practice play. That sort is beneficial.
It’s also a way to wirehead on the pseudo-utility of an achievement you haven’t actually attained. That sort is no damn use at best.