I’ve been blogging for 7 years. In that time there was a significant period when I was working 60-70 hours a week, as well as managing to read, have a relationship, and, running two weblogs (since I didn’t run GNXP as a diary, and pre-scheduled many of my posts, I assume you weren’t aware of this). So I got used to making the particular trade-offs you see. In the comments I focused on quantity and not so much on quality. As for the posts themselves, I tried to focus on substance and not care too much about style (e.g., I did a quick once over but then published). Since I had very little marginal time that was just what I had to do.
So, from your perspective I can see why it would be eminently reasonable to wonder why I wouldn’t capitalize. But you aren’t, or weren’t, subject to the same trade-offs as I was on a day to day level. So why did I, and do I, blog? Well, I’ve met some incredibly intelligent people, and made some awesome contacts. Many people at the Singularity Institute (e.g., Michael Vassar, who began reading my weblogs well before he was Mr. Singularity Institute President) for example, but also many people in science and outside of science. I also managed to get a fellowship out of it. I understand why implicitly I might have made myself seem a bit less intelligent than I was because of the stylistic ticks which I’ve developed over the years, but this is a case where obviously I feel I’ve presented myself well enough to the people who “count.” The primary payment I’ve received for blogging all these years are the people in the comments who have sent me links, critiqued ideas, etc.
So if the people who “count” to me did make suggestions stylistically (as they have on occasion), I would take notice. But as it is, none of them have complained about my capitalization, though they have about other things.
In any case, there was a time where I would want to present myself in a way where LW readers would take me as seriously as possible. For a variety of reasons, that really isn’t that time, and I try and avoid most weblogs and conversations on most weblogs (I’m splitting myself between 3 right now). I’ve reached pretty my “Dunbar’s Number” for intelligent people I’ve met through my weblog (I also tended to discount comments from.
As for the disagreement with Eliezer, it’s gotten me thinking. Some of the differences are long-standing. I enjoy hanging out with Eliezer’s gang, but I think I’m a lot more pessimistic than they are about human nature in general. Perhaps a BHTV episode in the future? I’m doing one for the 17th of October already with John Hawks, so way in the future probably.
Hm… well, the lack of capitalization didn’t much bother me because I know you. But I do think sentences are easier to read when capitalized, and that it is generally economical for one author to save a thousand readers the effort. Maybe don’t capitalize on your own blog, but capitalize on blog comments on blogs where there’s a high standard of commenting?
Though I actually am pretty sympathetic to your basic plea here, because the whole reason I started blogging was in an effort to write faster, and critical to that effort is learning to hold your writing to lower standards. As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as writer’s block—you can always write a sentence—there is only holding yourself to too high a standard. If lack of capitalization is your key trigger for lowering your standards enough to write, I won’t complain. Back when I started blogging, just the fact that it was a blog post was enough; but it wore off over time and since then it’s been a constant struggle for me to lower my standards. (Do not try this with anything other than writing!)
Though I actually am pretty sympathetic to your basic plea here, because the whole reason I started blogging was in an effort to write faster, and critical to that effort is learning to hold your writing to lower standards. . . . (Do not try this with anything other than writing!)
No? Really? I’ve gotten the idea that you should lower your standards whenever you find yourself simply not doing something. I am pretty bad at drawing, since I’ve had practically no experience. Recently, therefore, I’ve figured that I should go ahead and draw something, even though I know that I’ll do a bad job of it. I’m sure that Robin Hanson would love pointing out that the fact that a performance is too poor to show to other people doesn’t mean that it’s too poor to practice privately.
The time you just spent defending yourself with boasts and trying to imply that those who request grammar are beneath you has more than offset the time you will save by neglecting the shift key across your entire lifespan.
Right. This kind of awesome individual is exactly why I try and avoid commenting on weblogs outside my own :-) The goal too often becomes to seem super-smart and be all bad-ass with quips. Most of this would be eliminated if people used their real names, but that isn’t going to happen.
Hugh,
I’ve been blogging for 7 years. In that time there was a significant period when I was working 60-70 hours a week, as well as managing to read, have a relationship, and, running two weblogs (since I didn’t run GNXP as a diary, and pre-scheduled many of my posts, I assume you weren’t aware of this). So I got used to making the particular trade-offs you see. In the comments I focused on quantity and not so much on quality. As for the posts themselves, I tried to focus on substance and not care too much about style (e.g., I did a quick once over but then published). Since I had very little marginal time that was just what I had to do.
So, from your perspective I can see why it would be eminently reasonable to wonder why I wouldn’t capitalize. But you aren’t, or weren’t, subject to the same trade-offs as I was on a day to day level. So why did I, and do I, blog? Well, I’ve met some incredibly intelligent people, and made some awesome contacts. Many people at the Singularity Institute (e.g., Michael Vassar, who began reading my weblogs well before he was Mr. Singularity Institute President) for example, but also many people in science and outside of science. I also managed to get a fellowship out of it. I understand why implicitly I might have made myself seem a bit less intelligent than I was because of the stylistic ticks which I’ve developed over the years, but this is a case where obviously I feel I’ve presented myself well enough to the people who “count.” The primary payment I’ve received for blogging all these years are the people in the comments who have sent me links, critiqued ideas, etc.
So if the people who “count” to me did make suggestions stylistically (as they have on occasion), I would take notice. But as it is, none of them have complained about my capitalization, though they have about other things.
In any case, there was a time where I would want to present myself in a way where LW readers would take me as seriously as possible. For a variety of reasons, that really isn’t that time, and I try and avoid most weblogs and conversations on most weblogs (I’m splitting myself between 3 right now). I’ve reached pretty my “Dunbar’s Number” for intelligent people I’ve met through my weblog (I also tended to discount comments from.
As for the disagreement with Eliezer, it’s gotten me thinking. Some of the differences are long-standing. I enjoy hanging out with Eliezer’s gang, but I think I’m a lot more pessimistic than they are about human nature in general. Perhaps a BHTV episode in the future? I’m doing one for the 17th of October already with John Hawks, so way in the future probably.
Hm… well, the lack of capitalization didn’t much bother me because I know you. But I do think sentences are easier to read when capitalized, and that it is generally economical for one author to save a thousand readers the effort. Maybe don’t capitalize on your own blog, but capitalize on blog comments on blogs where there’s a high standard of commenting?
Though I actually am pretty sympathetic to your basic plea here, because the whole reason I started blogging was in an effort to write faster, and critical to that effort is learning to hold your writing to lower standards. As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as writer’s block—you can always write a sentence—there is only holding yourself to too high a standard. If lack of capitalization is your key trigger for lowering your standards enough to write, I won’t complain. Back when I started blogging, just the fact that it was a blog post was enough; but it wore off over time and since then it’s been a constant struggle for me to lower my standards. (Do not try this with anything other than writing!)
I’d be honored to do a BHTV.
No? Really? I’ve gotten the idea that you should lower your standards whenever you find yourself simply not doing something. I am pretty bad at drawing, since I’ve had practically no experience. Recently, therefore, I’ve figured that I should go ahead and draw something, even though I know that I’ll do a bad job of it. I’m sure that Robin Hanson would love pointing out that the fact that a performance is too poor to show to other people doesn’t mean that it’s too poor to practice privately.
re: BHTV, let’s get in touch in a few months. I think the disagreement is strong enough to satisfy the overlords in this case.
The time you just spent defending yourself with boasts and trying to imply that those who request grammar are beneath you has more than offset the time you will save by neglecting the shift key across your entire lifespan.
That’s not actually true.
Right. This kind of awesome individual is exactly why I try and avoid commenting on weblogs outside my own :-) The goal too often becomes to seem super-smart and be all bad-ass with quips. Most of this would be eliminated if people used their real names, but that isn’t going to happen.