JackEmpty

Karma: 259

JackEmpty Jun 30, 2011, 2:00 PM
0 points
in reply to: [deleted]’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge
For number 1, single-instance games. An RPG with 30 hours in the MAIN storyline and 100 more in optional sidequests would probably not be your ideal. But drop-in, drop-out type gaming might be better. TF2 is one I’ve started playing, especially since it’s free. And the learning curve is fairly gentle, especially with tutorials. Find a class you like, play it until you’re comfortable. Then find another. The only issue is that it would require a sufficient investment in hardware if you don’t have it already.

Playing on (and joining, if you’re so inclined) Kongregate.com is another option. Some “hardcore” gamers look down on flash gaming as a lesser form, but I’ve seen some wonderfully crafted games on Kong. They have a rating system and actual submission criteria. They don’t accept any crap, so the quality of games are better.

There’s also a lot of puzzle games, so the whole learning-something-gathering-skills-while-playing area is covered.

For number 4… it requires a larger number of people, but it’s a decent party game: Liar’s Dice. Yes, Liar’s Dice as seen in Pirates of the Carribean. All you need is at least 5 dice per player (dollar store in bulk, you can probably spend only a dollar per player) and some dice cups (I cut down and taped up some paper cups.) Deception, strategy, all the elements of poker. Just with some added novelty.

JackEmpty Jun 30, 2011, 1:14 PM
6 points
in reply to: BillyOblivion’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge
Again, I agree… outside the bounds of this excercise.

I have absolutely no objection to any of your advice, whatsoever. It’s all pretty good advice, if presented a little forcefully. But I get that sort of “tough titties, now do the work” methodology. Nor would I be making any noise if this was only an article about aspiring rationalists giving advice to other aspiring rationalists.

But it isn’t.

The point is to figure out a strategy to AVOID the obstacles presented, not insist that the obstacles be removed. That way the obstacles can no longer be used as an EXCUSE not to do the thing. The point of the Rejection Challenge is to excise excuses not excise obstacles.

The one: “I can’t get from point A to point B because there is a wall in the way.” The other (1): “Walk around the wall. Get a ladder and climb over it. Get someone to boost you over. Etc., etc.” The other (2): “Break the wall down, and walk straight from A to B.”

We want to take path 1, not path 2.

ETA: If you disagree with the core point of the excercise, I don’t think anyone would object to you commenting and saying so, while explaining precisely WHY.

JackEmpty Jun 29, 2011, 7:58 PM
1 point
in reply to: Alex_Altair’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge
That’s the dymaxion. I’ve never tried it myself (School/work being inflexible in hours to the degree that I wouldn’t be able to nap.), but of what I’ve read, it’s one of the most difficult to acclimate to.

One of the easier ones (or at least easier than dymaxion, maybe not as easy as biphasic, but it gets more wake-hours) is the Everyman. It’s a three-hour core nap with three evenly spaced 20-minute naps during the day, with some room for flexibility.

And the basic rule from that three-and-thre model (which can get you down to biphasic, or up to the uberman) is for every hour of core you add, remove one nap. And every hour of core you remove, add a nap.

JackEmpty Jun 29, 2011, 7:24 PM
0 points
in reply to: Alex_Altair’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge
What schedule did you use? Because “polyphasic” is a catchall term for sleeping in more than one interval over the course of a 24 hour period.

Uberman, everyman, and dymaxion are the most commonly spoken of, in my experience.

JackEmpty Jun 29, 2011, 5:29 PM
2 points
in reply to: NancyLebovitz’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge
I can only really think of specific examples to specific cases, but things that take minimal effort, yet still give fairly high returns when compared to other low-effort strategies.

If the task is “eat vegetables” and the restrictions are money, proximity to store, spoils too quickly, and no freezer, then an example of something that is NOT a FOO strategy would be to sell your property, move to or purchase a farm, start growing your own vegetables and eat those ones, while selling the excess to buy a better freezer.

Clearly, I’m using hyperbole here, but you get the picture. You can’t deny that that that IS a valid method to gain access to vegetables. But it’s not first-order optimal. First order optimal would be to buy incrementally as you need the vegetables, when doing other activities in the same day that brings you close to the store.

A Non-FOO strategy for “excercise more” would be to drop work and all other activities and begin a olympic-level training regimen. A FOO strategy would be to incorporate excerse into regular daily activities (stairs, biking instead of driving, etc.)

JackEmpty Jun 29, 2011, 3:55 PM
6 points
on: The True Rejection Challenge
Just as an aside and a note to all giving the recommendations and advice… focus on First Order Optimal Strategies.

Sure self-editing to not have your rejections be rejections anymore, by training the habit over the course of a few months to a year or more MAY work, and may work very well. But it’s not the strategy that has the lowest skill/effort input to highest power/effect output ratio.

JackEmpty Jun 29, 2011, 3:33 PM
4 points
in reply to: BillyOblivion’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge
I agree with the “you shouldn’t HAVE to worry about what people think about you” mode of thought, but the point of this excercise is to treat these things as if they were the person’s true rejections.

And if they are their true rejections (which they very well may be), then how is it possible to still excecute X action that they desire to, while circumventing the previously stated rejection.

Assume the LCPW where I implanted a device inside Fergus’ head, which will explode if he worries about what he’s signalling/what others are thinking about him/getting criticism, when he runs. Then propose solutions that let him both run, and not have his head explode. Concrete advice, not just, “Well, if you didn’t think that way, your head wouldn’t explode. So don’t think that way.”

JackEmpty Jun 29, 2011, 1:58 PM
11 points
in reply to: BenLowell’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge
Benefits of playing games:
- Improved hand-eye coordination
- Strategic puzzle solving skills
- Decreased stress level
- By far, more mentally engaging than television or movies, which are passive entertainment
- introspection in choice-morality games
- by Playing Like a Designer you can learn how to use gamelike elements in non-game environments (like the classroom) to make them more fun
See also: http://www.tastyhuman.com/10-benefits-of-playing-video-games/

Role-playing games can also have some of the same benefits (albeit much less salient) as improv theater and rejection therapy. Which is more fun, getting rejected by a dozen people you don’t know to have a conversation, or having your level eight human rogue get rejected a dozen times in a bar?

For all of the above, however, YMMV.

JackEmpty Jun 29, 2011, 12:45 PM
1 point
in reply to: BillyOblivion’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge
This doesn’t address the “minimal effort” issue as much as I’d like (driving to stores and buying counts as much as preparing food, as well as searching online and doing online ordering), though it is admittedly very akratic. But you seem to be of the “just balls up and do it” persuasion, so I won’t object there.

Having pre-prepared eggs in the morning (instead of at lunch as others suggested), along with better meals instead at lunch seems like, well, a better idea. I think I’ll start a routine of that this Sunday.

Oh, and there’s a Costco in town, so bulk purchases aren’t that difficult.

As per the excercise: a year or two ago when I was sailing for 6 hours a day, every day of the week for 4-5 weeks of the sumer, I was the thinnest I’ve been in some time. But I was FIT. I’m not sure of the science of it all, but I’m not a weakling. I can do a dozen pullups… fairly successfully. Building an excessive amount of muscle mass isn’t something I’m too into (being weightlifter-buff is unappealing, but being martial-artist strong is more ideal, if that makes any sense). I just want to eat healthier and not waste away entirely :/

Oh, but semi-related, my cardio is utter garbage. I can sprint faster than most people I know who run regularly, but I’m coughing and wheezing ten times quicker. And no, I don’t smoke nor live with smokers.

JackEmpty Jun 28, 2011, 5:44 PM
0 points
on: What are you working on? June 2011
I am learning Esperanto, from here for grammar and word-building rules, as well as using Anki cards to build vocabulary.

I’m re-reading the Sequences and using the Anki deck made for them to help internalize some of the concepts.

JackEmpty Jun 28, 2011, 4:45 PM
2 points
in reply to: MatthewBaker’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge
I’ll propose an experiment:

Try falling asleep at different times, and recording your difficuly-to-get-up on some arbitrary scale. Record (approximately) how much time asleep you get along with this.

The “recommended” 8 hours may not be optimal for your physiology.

Disclaimer: Not a doctor, nor an expert in sleep, in any way… This is just from anecdotal evidence. (Girlfriend sleeps about 5-6 hours a night, and is functional. Friend can’t function without sleeping 9.)

If you find an amount of sleep that is testably better than the alternatives, at least this might help.

JackEmpty Jun 28, 2011, 1:42 PM
0 points
in reply to: ShardPhoenix’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge

without a bunch of borderline-crazy restrictions.

As a borderline crazyperson, I take offense to this.

JackEmpty Jun 28, 2011, 12:31 PM
0 points
in reply to: MatthewBaker’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge
I have the same issue. My current patch is to have ten alarms set on my phone and one on my alarm clock at ten minute intervals starting from the half hour or so before I have to wake up.

Even still, it’s a struggle.

Now, is it a matter of not getting a sufficient amount or sufficiently restful sleep? Or is it inability to wake on time regardless of how much sleep you get?

JackEmpty Jun 27, 2011, 6:04 PM
1 point
in reply to: Alicorn’s comment on: The True Rejection Challenge
Grapes are fine if I pick them off the stems and discard first. Canned fruit is actually a good idea. Those single-serving Dole fruit cups also come to mind as something I can toss in a bag with a spoon, no preparation necessary.

And actually, the hardboiled eggs all-at-once thing seems like a good idea. I think it’d be easier to prepare in advance if it’s a one-time investment of an hour total prep/cook time every week rather than 15 minutes the night before every day. Even building a half dozen sandwhiches Sunday evening seems like less of an investment than making one an evening. Any other ideas for batch food-making?

JackEmpty Jun 27, 2011, 4:18 PM
1 point
on: The True Rejection Challenge
I am mildly malnourished. I am far too thin for my height/age and I do not eat in sufficient volume or sufficiently healthily.

Cost is the major prohibiting factor. I live at home, but I pay for most of what I consume. (Breakfast/lunch.) I am working full time, saving for college.

Food preparation in advance is an option, but I tell myself I don’t have the time to do so. Plus buying pre-prepared food is easier and I lack the motivation to make food if I can just buy it.

If I try to prohibit myself from spending (leaving my money/debit card in my car or at home) then I’ll more than likely just not eat.

When it comes to preparing food at home, if there is something unhealthy, but gives the illusion of being filling, I will more than likely take that instead of taking the time to make something.

Also, slightly tangential, but still related: I can’t eat food that has not-food parts. Examples: apples, I will cut up beforehand and eat only after slicing and discarding the nonedible parts. On meat that has a small amount of fat, I have to completely trim and remove it before starting to eat. I cannot even touch ribs, even though I know I’d like the taste, nor chicken with bones.

JackEmpty Jun 24, 2011, 3:58 PM
1 point
in reply to: pjeby’s comment on: Community roles: teachers and auxiliaries
To respond to this whole thread of discussion, what it seems to me is that NVC is a quite useful tool, and negotiation theory is the toolbox and instruction manuals.

It also seems that NVC could be a better designed tool (that’s not to say that it won’t do it’s job!), and that negotiation theory could be a better formulated heuristic of when to use the NVC-tool, and when to use the other tools...

My concern is now cutting the cruft from both and adding the useful bits into the repertoire of my own rationality.

I’ll have to look into them both further before I make any more in-depth of a comment than that, though.

ETA: Any recommendations on where to start reading up? (Free/online preferrable.)

JackEmpty 22 Jun 2011 14:58 UTC
16 points
in reply to: lessdazed’s comment on: Community roles: teachers and auxiliaries
I would love to read a top-level post comparing the major differences and similarities between academic negotiation theory and NVC, and why the differences that negotiation theory has are better than their NVC alternatives.

JackEmpty 15 Jun 2011 17:46 UTC
0 points
on: Out of the closet as a Positive Utilitarian
This seems a lot like… ignoring the bigger issues in order to maximize the happiness of self and anyone-you-might-happen-to-encounter.

In other words: Short term gain of personal happiness, long term (potential/risk for) loss of overall world-happiness.

JackEmpty 30 May 2011 15:07 UTC
0 points
in reply to: Eliezer Yudkowsky’s comment on: Teachable Rationality Skills
Teamwork and group skills.

The “Yes and...” concept.

ETA: I put “Yes and” here, but I’m not entirely sure about it. I can explain the concept and I can see it’s value in improv, but I can’t think of any specific/concrete skills it assists.

If anyone wants an explanation of Yes And, I can provide one, and then you can evaluate its merits...

JackEmpty 27 May 2011 1:01 UTC
0 points
in reply to: [deleted]’s comment on: A Gameplay Exploration of Yudkowsky’s “Twelve Virtues”
Well there’s that, yes. That’s more like very basic Gamification of dull activities (more specifically this). (1)

But that’s working from a task towards something more game-like. Rather than designing a game experience from the outset. That seems a suboptimal way to do it. And yeah, the current state of education-in-games, there’s only going to be referential tidbits here and there that a few might look into. But if you’re designing a game and have a topic of interest you enjoy, it wouldn’t likely take much extra development time to incorporate it, especially if you really are interested.

Facilitating education is the goal, I guess. Rather than providing an in-depth education of whatever topic.

(1) I am going to reference Extra Credits a lot when discussing games. I can’t recommend it enough. EC and this textbook are my main influences and sources of knowledge on games and game design, aside from the regular expected amount of game-playing.