TheOtherDave comments on Good luck, Mr. Rationalist - Less Wrong

4 Post author: Stuart_Armstrong 29 April 2013 06:44PM

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Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 29 April 2013 08:26:06PM 3 points [-]

In sufficiently selective venues, I've been known to say "Good skill!" and "May the random variables be in your favor!"

Comment author: TheOtherDave 29 April 2013 08:49:00PM 3 points [-]

These days, the latter will likely be interpreted as a misquoted Hunger Games reference in some venues that might otherwise seem sufficiently selective.

Comment author: Baughn 29 April 2013 09:52:13PM *  1 point [-]

I haven't watched Hunger Games. Or read it. I do like that phrasing, though.

Will using it give the wrong impression?

Comment author: TheOtherDave 29 April 2013 10:48:17PM 2 points [-]

Will using it give the wrong impression?

Well, it will give the impression (if interpreted that way) of being a pop culture reference when it's not, but I assume that's not what you mean.

It's not as obviously problematic as if, say, the HG characters were simply rolling dice to see who survived, or devoting significant resources to invoking the favor of their gods, or some such antirationalist meme; the movie is at least nodding in the direction of game theoretical concerns, if not necessarily showing much insight into them. So it could be worse.

Comment author: Qiaochu_Yuan 29 April 2013 08:59:02PM 0 points [-]

Is that not the intended interpretation?

Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 29 April 2013 09:42:53PM 1 point [-]

Nope, was using that before I read (some of) Hunger Games.