Are there any jugglers or otherwise circus-skilled people in the rationality community?
I suspect that an interest in technical expertise can draw someone to both circus and rationality.
Also, it’s possible that performers gain some tacit rationality (in the realm of learning to learn effectively, at least) from the feedback loop between practice and performance.
(If you’re curious how high the skill ladder can go for something like juggling, here (youtube) is my favorite video to show the uninitiated.)
AFAIK, the highest-concentration populations of both, at least in the US, are geographically semi-overlapping (the Bay is a magnet for both), so I’d be surprised if there isn’t. Certainly I know many people who have similar interests to LW and who are also serious circus-arts people, though most of them prefer fire props to straight balls. I personally am at least a single-person overlap, though I don’t consider myself to be at a high level in either.
As a sidenote, watching this video gave me a weird sense of how much my standards are distorted, because everything before about 2:30 in it looked totally pedestrian to me; I personally know a half-dozen people who could pull off everything up to that point.
I can juggle three balls kinda clumsy, but that’s probably not what you’re looking for. My brother used to be (still kinda is) a semi-professional juggler, so I do have some experience with that community. From my experience there doesn’t seem to be a greater degree of rationality in the circus community, compared to other communities where people learn various skills.
What I did like from that community is the different learning style they have. Learning those skills is very hand-on and from being a total newcomer to being able to do something well enough to show off to friends and family doesn’t take that long. (You can learn to juggle three objects or ride a unicycle in under a day.)
It looks like this is your first post. Welcome to Less Wrong!
I suspect there are quite a few jugglers / circus-skills folk in the rationality community, though I’m not sure I’d draw any kind of associative conclusion. After all, an interest in pot, didgeridoos and the narcissistic approval of one’s peers can also draw someone to juggling.
Are there any jugglers or otherwise circus-skilled people in the rationality community?
I suspect that an interest in technical expertise can draw someone to both circus and rationality.
Also, it’s possible that performers gain some tacit rationality (in the realm of learning to learn effectively, at least) from the feedback loop between practice and performance.
(If you’re curious how high the skill ladder can go for something like juggling, here (youtube) is my favorite video to show the uninitiated.)
AFAIK, the highest-concentration populations of both, at least in the US, are geographically semi-overlapping (the Bay is a magnet for both), so I’d be surprised if there isn’t. Certainly I know many people who have similar interests to LW and who are also serious circus-arts people, though most of them prefer fire props to straight balls. I personally am at least a single-person overlap, though I don’t consider myself to be at a high level in either.
As a sidenote, watching this video gave me a weird sense of how much my standards are distorted, because everything before about 2:30 in it looked totally pedestrian to me; I personally know a half-dozen people who could pull off everything up to that point.
I partake in a great deal of circus things. It has been my hobby for a few years. Message me if you have questions.
I can juggle three balls kinda clumsy, but that’s probably not what you’re looking for. My brother used to be (still kinda is) a semi-professional juggler, so I do have some experience with that community. From my experience there doesn’t seem to be a greater degree of rationality in the circus community, compared to other communities where people learn various skills.
What I did like from that community is the different learning style they have. Learning those skills is very hand-on and from being a total newcomer to being able to do something well enough to show off to friends and family doesn’t take that long. (You can learn to juggle three objects or ride a unicycle in under a day.)
It looks like this is your first post. Welcome to Less Wrong!
I suspect there are quite a few jugglers / circus-skills folk in the rationality community, though I’m not sure I’d draw any kind of associative conclusion. After all, an interest in pot, didgeridoos and the narcissistic approval of one’s peers can also draw someone to juggling.
Thanks!
For me it’s the impulse to become stronger that draws me both to rationality (“martial art of the mind”) and circus, (as arbitrary as that may seem).
Fiddlemath (Matt Elder) is a good juggler.