I must confess his thinking was not quite clear to me—I can’t see how not just letting the post find its level in the karma system, as happened, would be in any way a good idea
My reaction was pointed in the same direction as that poster’s, though not as extreme. It seems indecent to have something like this associated with you directly. It lends credence to insinuations of personality cult and oversized ego. I mean, compare it to Chuck Norris’s response (“in response to”).
If someone posted something like this about me on a site of mine and I became aware of it, I would say “very funny, but it’s going down in a day. Save any you think are clever and take it to another site.”
I’m actually quite surprised there isn’t a Wikimedia Meta-Wiki page of Jimmy Wales Facts. Perhaps the current fundraiser (where we squeeze his celebrity status for every penny we can—that’s his volunteer job now, public relations) will inspire some.
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”?
My reaction was pointed in the same direction as that poster’s, though not as extreme. It seems indecent to have something like this associated with you directly. It lends credence to insinuations of personality cult and oversized ego. I mean, compare it to Chuck Norris’s response (“in response to”).
If someone posted something like this about me on a site of mine and I became aware of it, I would say “very funny, but it’s going down in a day. Save any you think are clever and take it to another site.”
I’m actually quite surprised there isn’t a Wikimedia Meta-Wiki page of Jimmy Wales Facts. Perhaps the current fundraiser (where we squeeze his celebrity status for every penny we can—that’s his volunteer job now, public relations) will inspire some.
Edit: I couldn’t resist.
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.
I have a similar reaction.