Would it help if I added a disclaimer to the effect that “this was an attempt at mindless nerd amusement, not worship or mockery”? If there’s a general sense that people are taking the post the wrong way and it’s hurting reputations, I’m happy to take it down entirely.
My feeling is comparable to David_Gerard’s- I think it would help if it said “this is a joke” but I don’t think it would help enough to make a difference. It signals that you’re aware some people will wonder about whether or not you’re joking but the fundamental issue is whether or not Eliezer / the LW community thinks it’s indecent and that comes out the same way with or without the disclaimer.
I have a rather mild preference you move it offsite. I don’t know what standards you should have for a general sense people are taking it the wrong way.
As someone who is pretty iconoclastic by habit, that disclaimer would be a good way to mollify me. But there are probably lots of different ways to have a bad first impression of Facts, so I can’t guarantee that it will mollify other people.
I would like to think that anyone who read this post would also read the comments; and that this discussion itself would serve as enough of a disclaimer to prevent them from coming to negative conclusions.
The post was intended as silly fun. After it turned out to be a bad idea, it’s mostly just noise weighing the site down, not an important topic for continued curation and discussion.
The best Eliezer Yudkosky facts are pretty funny. Who cares if some people on the talk page of some wiki somewhere misinterpret it. I mean geez, should we censor harmless fun because “oh some people might think LessWrong is a personaly cult”?
Would it help if I added a disclaimer to the effect that “this was an attempt at mindless nerd amusement, not worship or mockery”? If there’s a general sense that people are taking the post the wrong way and it’s hurting reputations, I’m happy to take it down entirely.
I really wouldn’t bother. Anyone who doesn’t like these things won’t be mollified.
My feeling is comparable to David_Gerard’s- I think it would help if it said “this is a joke” but I don’t think it would help enough to make a difference. It signals that you’re aware some people will wonder about whether or not you’re joking but the fundamental issue is whether or not Eliezer / the LW community thinks it’s indecent and that comes out the same way with or without the disclaimer.
I have a rather mild preference you move it offsite. I don’t know what standards you should have for a general sense people are taking it the wrong way.
As someone who is pretty iconoclastic by habit, that disclaimer would be a good way to mollify me. But there are probably lots of different ways to have a bad first impression of Facts, so I can’t guarantee that it will mollify other people.
There’s little value in keeping it around, so I’d take it down in response to the obvious negative reaction.
I would like to think that anyone who read this post would also read the comments; and that this discussion itself would serve as enough of a disclaimer to prevent them from coming to negative conclusions.
At least, it did for me.
The post was intended as silly fun. After it turned out to be a bad idea, it’s mostly just noise weighing the site down, not an important topic for continued curation and discussion.
Did it?
The best Eliezer Yudkosky facts are pretty funny. Who cares if some people on the talk page of some wiki somewhere misinterpret it. I mean geez, should we censor harmless fun because “oh some people might think LessWrong is a personaly cult”?
I disagree. Judging by the karma of the post, lots of people thought it was a good idea.