sixes_and_sevens comments on Procedural Knowledge Gaps - Less Wrong

126 Post author: Alicorn 08 February 2011 03:17AM

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Comment author: sixes_and_sevens 12 February 2011 02:10:36PM 6 points [-]

In the public space in question, are you more likely to find books or alcohol?

Pretty much any venue with alcohol is going to be a socially facilitating venue, whereas anywhere people take books is going to be a venue where they don't expect to be disturbed.

Comment author: wedrifid 12 February 2011 02:35:31PM 1 point [-]

In the public space in question, are you more likely to find books or alcohol?

I recommend socializing in book stores, libraries and outside classrooms. It will not always be appropriate but you can learn what sort of people will open to talking with practice.

Comment author: sixes_and_sevens 12 February 2011 02:56:48PM 1 point [-]

I'd agree with all these suggestions. A more discerning rule of thumb might be "are you more likely to find people consuming books or consuming alcohol?"

It's probably also reasonably safe to assume that the typical LWer would prefer to talk with someone over a revealed mutual interest, rather than talking to someone after deadening their selectivity with booze, so places that are about books, but not where people read them, are likely to be good haunts for talking to strangers.

Comment author: wedrifid 12 February 2011 03:14:54PM 4 points [-]

A more discerning rule of thumb might be "are you more likely to find people consuming books or consuming alcohol?"

Best yet, find the people consuming alcohol in the place where you find lots of books. They're bound to be up for a chat.

Comment author: MBlume 21 February 2011 12:04:59AM 1 point [-]

I have heard it suggested that the world would be a nicer place if there were bookstores in which one could simply order a beer, the same way one can today order a coffee.

(It should be noted that the 'order a coffee' thing is only a decade or two old.)

Comment author: Sniffnoy 13 February 2011 11:31:44PM *  0 points [-]

OK, to be honest, I'm having a bit of trouble understanding this thread. Find people drinking in bookstores, libraries? I'm confused. (In school buildings, certainly possible, if we're talking about parties in grad student offices, but then that falls into a case where things seem pretty clear, and I'm only likely to be around if I know some people anyway.)

Comment author: wedrifid 14 February 2011 01:53:40AM *  1 point [-]

Oh, pardon me. That was not particularly a serious recommendation. At least, not one that is likely to become relevant all that often. I was mostly being lighthearted so as to signal rapport with sixes as opposed to complete disagreement.