Will_Sawin comments on Local Ordinances of Fun - Less Wrong

18 Post author: Alicorn 18 June 2012 03:07AM

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Comment author: Alicorn 18 June 2012 03:23:26AM *  16 points [-]

SarahC: I do like the idea of living by your own strength somewhat though... a sense of helplessness and lack of skill is incredibly demoralizing.

Alicorn: I don't want to stop people from doing that; I just don't really find it appealing and object to enforcing it

SarahC: actually, I often think that for me and a large number of people I know, the biggest negative factor in our lives is awareness that we're not good at much.

Alicorn: I'm good at some stuff. To do that stuff, I like to use tools. I don't want to eat bugs for fifty years in a fake savannah while I work out how to fire ceramics so I can cook.

SarahC: oh. yeah. that's undeniable.

Alicorn: Alicorn-who-has-to-live-by-her-own-strength has to get PHENOMENALLY bored before she ever picks up a flute again. She sings, when she wants to make music, because she hasn't come around to finding whittling interesting yet. And this is sad for Alicorn-who-has-to-live-by-her-own-strength.

SarahC: agreed.

Comment author: Will_Sawin 18 June 2012 04:31:25AM 18 points [-]

I believe that one is supposed to complete a singing quest so as to gain access to flutes.

Comment author: Sniffnoy 18 June 2012 11:05:43AM 9 points [-]

This was probably a joke, but: This strikes me as not much better. It's still "I have to do something largely unrelated before I can do what I actually wanted to do." Imagine you had a flute-playing competition, but only those who were also good singers could enter! The best specialized flute-players might not be able to enter at all.

Comment author: Will_Sawin 19 June 2012 05:26:27PM 1 point [-]

Then you don't have to sing. But you do have to do something else. Or if all you want to do is play the flute, then you get a flute at the beginning and all your other rewards come from flute-playing. The rules of the universe can be adapted to individuals without being chosen by individuals.

Comment author: Alicorn 18 June 2012 04:58:18AM 7 points [-]

I adore the phrase "gain access to flutes" and I have no idea why.

Comment author: shminux 18 June 2012 06:35:12AM 1 point [-]

This one time in a band camp...

Comment author: CronoDAS 18 June 2012 07:52:15AM 0 points [-]

I think it's about time I actually watched that movie.

Comment author: FiftyTwo 20 June 2012 07:07:57PM 0 points [-]

Alternatively, visit the ancient order of music monks who, after completing a series of arbitrarily difficult challenges, will reward you with a flute.

Comment author: Benquo 25 June 2012 03:53:29PM 0 points [-]

What if the monks fail to complete the series of arbitrary difficult challenges?

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