xamdam comments on Intelligence Amplification Open Thread - Less Wrong

46 Post author: Will_Newsome 15 September 2010 08:39AM

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Comment author: xamdam 15 September 2010 12:36:46PM 7 points [-]

For a no-brainer, you can easily adjust to listening to audiobooks at 2x on ipod/phone.

Comment author: Daniel_Burfoot 15 September 2010 02:48:41PM 6 points [-]

“Besides, we are friends of the lento, I and my book. I have not been a philologist in vain — perhaps I am one yet: a teacher of slow reading. I even come to write slowly. At present it is not only my habit, but even my taste — a perverted taste, maybe — to write nothing but what will drive to despair every one who is ‘in a hurry.’ For philology is that venerable art which exacts from its followers one thing above all — to step to one side, to leave themselves spare moments, to grow silent, to become slow — the leisurely art of the goldsmith applied to language: an art which must carry out slow, fine work, and attains nothing if not lento. Thus philology is now more desirable than ever before; thus it is the highest attraction and incitement in an age of ‘work’: that is, of haste, of unseemly and immoderate hurry-skurry, which is so eager to ‘get things done’ at once, even every book, whether old or new. Philology itself, perhaps, will not so hurriedly ‘get things done.’ It teaches how to read well, that is, slowly, profoundly, attentively, prudently, with inner thoughts, with the mental doors ajar, with delicate fingers and eyes. My patient friends, this book appeals only to perfect readers and philologists: learn to read me well!”

-Nietzsche

Comment author: Jonathan_Graehl 15 September 2010 07:08:14PM 0 points [-]

Fun quote. I bet you could read quickly, but also pause to think.

The average US reader reads at 300wpm, but speech is typically 150wpm. I feel like the 1.4x speed option on bloggingheads doesn't reduce my comprehension at all, even for technical material.

Comment author: clay 15 September 2010 08:43:54PM *  2 points [-]

I would think that the brain is devoting extra processing power to pickup on different social cues and status juxtapositions while listening to the bloggingheads versus text.

Comment author: matt 25 September 2010 11:08:30AM 0 points [-]

If you listen to it twice at 2x speed, especially with a sleep in between, I'm pretty confident that you'll get and retain more in the time you spend.

Comment author: Drahflow 15 September 2010 12:53:36PM 3 points [-]

Same goes for videos (Yay action movies at 2x).

Bonus points (for fun only): Play action games afterwards. Time sensation is a weird thing.

Comment author: Leafy 16 September 2010 04:42:52PM 1 point [-]

Interestingly I have noticed a similar "time slowing" effect in rapid reaction computer games following extreme bursts of adrenaline for whatever reason - I wonder if action movies at 2x give you an adrenaline boost?

Comment author: mattnewport 16 September 2010 05:35:14PM 1 point [-]

I noticed real life slowing down after extended multiplayer sessions of Quake 3.

Comment author: katydee 15 September 2010 02:48:03PM 0 points [-]

What's this like?

Comment author: Drahflow 15 September 2010 04:38:21PM 3 points [-]

It appears slow. In particular I seem to think more things per time, sometimes noticing significant delays between thought and action. However according to the scores, performance improvement is only marginal (but existent). The effect wears off after 10 to 15 minutes according to my experience.

I usually play Quake 3 (just in case anybody want's to compare effects between games).

Comment author: xamdam 15 September 2010 01:16:09PM 0 points [-]

What software are you using? I find audio parts of sped-up videos pretty difficult, other than on the ipod line of products (even in quicktime).

There is some info here:

http://www.catonmat.net/blog/how-to-save-time-by-watching-videos-at-higher-playback-speeds/

Comment author: gwern 15 September 2010 01:52:45PM 3 points [-]

The blog post (but not the comments) omits mplayer's 'scaletempo' option, which de-chipmunkifies the sound. Perhaps the ipod line of products is doing that by default.

(I personally only increase things like 110%. Still saves me time without ever bothering me.)

Comment author: AdShea 11 October 2010 06:18:52PM 0 points [-]

I use VLC's playback speed (fine) options. Right now I'm taking a few recorded lecture classes and I can get them up to 1.4x without any difficulty in understanding or comprehension.