gjm comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 24, chapter 95 - Less Wrong

6 Post author: palladias 18 July 2013 02:23AM

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Comment author: Kawoomba 18 July 2013 10:12:24AM *  11 points [-]

Professor Quirrell took a small step to the left, a step forward, another to the right. He tilted his head with a look of calculation, and then he walked almost directly towards where Harry stood, halted a few paces off with the sense of doom enflamed to the height of bearability.

Nice, Quirrell is tracking Harry by checking in which direction the sense of doom becomes stronger.

I hereby rechristen "the sense of doom" to "the sensor of doom".

Edit: "But what do Muggles know of true power? It is not them who frightens me now. It is you." Typo, should be 'frighten'.

Edit 2: "I could name a dozen examples in Muggle novels of people driven to resurrect their dead friends. The authors of those stories clearly understood exactly how I feel about Hermione. Though you wouldn't have read them, I guess... maybe Orpheus and Eurydice?" -- Aah, what a lost chance to break the fourth wall and cite HPMOR as an example!

Comment author: gjm 18 July 2013 10:43:01AM 24 points [-]

Typo, should be 'frighten'.

And arguably should be 'they' rather than 'them'; Q strikes me as the sort of person who might well choose 'they' rather than 'them'.

what a lost chance

Thank goodness it was lost; let us hope it is never found again.

Comment author: Kawoomba 18 July 2013 02:06:44PM *  33 points [-]

What an ending that would be: Harry uses the Self-Indication Assumption to conclude that he is most probably a character in a Muggle story about magic, then manages to 'blackmail' the author into granting him godhood in order to stop Harry from committing suicide in a literarily unsatisfying fashion, since the author would prefer the former as an ending over the latter. Someone would object that Harry doesn't have agency? But he does, if the author takes the character seriously and continues with a high-fidelity in-character continuation. If Harry found out he's likely a character in a novel, he'd be right, and there's no reason he shouldn't use that to his advantage.

Talk about writing yourself into a corner! :)

EDIT:

"It's not going to work!" Harry was shouting at the top of his lungs, his wand pointed at his own temple. He gripped it so tightly his knuckles were white. "You wrote me this way, you know there's no going back from this point, you knew I'd find out eventually."

Ominous clouds were forming, a harsh wind picking up, making Harry shiver from where he stood in the Hogwarts central yard. Students stood aghast, staring at the screaming boy pointing the wand at himself.

"And you can stop with the weather charade, if I do this -- and I will, your book will be ruined, those little touches of drama aren't going to fool anyone!"

"Harry." The cold voice of the Defense Professor carried over the noise of the wind effortlessly, yet seemed spoken with little effort. "I have new ... " Quirrell pointedly glanced at the students present. "... information regarding your quest. I don't know what you are trying to achieve with this, but it may be best we go inside and ..."

Harry scoffed -- actually scoffed at his mysterious ancient wizard. "Silence, Mr. Intriguing-Plot-Point! I shouldn't even be talking to you, not any more! I won't be distracted, this ends now, one way or another. Which ending will you be writing, Mr. Not-Quite-Omniscient Author? None of your characters will make me back out of doing what's right! If you write this novel, I will make sure it's an utopia, or I'll ruin it!"

"Harry!" A wide-eyed Dumbledore appeared as if out of nowhere next to Quirrell. "Harry, my dear boy! Stop this madness! This is not what the hero is supposed to -" "You know, Headmaster, I don't blame you for your failures, for not seeing the obvious. That, too was part of the plot. You see," Harry's voice was dripping with condescension. "You weren't supposed to be endowed with enough agency, or to be taken seriously enough, to actually come to the right conclusion, and to cut your own strings. You remain the puppet ... with all due respect."

"Harry Potter. You and I have unfinished business!" Draco Malfoy, his father's spitting image, strut upon the courtyard. Harry didn't even look at him. Draco stared incredulously as Harry looked up at the sky, and continued to shout against the wind. "That must be some sort of movie allusion. Getting desperate, Mr. Author, aren't we? You won't salvage this ending, no matter how hard you contrive to. This show is over, no more diversions. It's time to end this!"

The wind stopped abruptly. Harry turned around, to find the courtyard empty. Only a certain twitch of his eyes betrayed that he had come to a decision, that he was preparing to act. The wand pressed ever harder against his temple, he opened his mouth to speak the final words. Had he overreached with his precommitment? I can only go forward, if I stop, I'm lost.

"Harry, oh Harry." A soft female voice said from behind him.

He knew that voice.

Comment author: CellBioGuy 19 July 2013 02:21:50AM *  6 points [-]

In my version he blows his brains out but not before the narration notes him realizing that the pattern of behavior he represents is reproduced with pretty good fidelity in everyone who has read the story. This includes second degree fanfiction authors in whom he can boot up a whole new universe in reaction to the unsatisfying end of this story...

'Quantum' immortality for literary characters, because anyone can always pop up a fanfiction sequel where they somehow didn't die?

Comment author: buybuydandavis 19 July 2013 08:55:04AM 3 points [-]

Ugh. I hope EY doesn't go "many worlds" with this.

Comment author: Alsadius 20 July 2013 06:58:26PM 4 points [-]

It's a fanfic - I think it's a bit late for that.

Comment author: bekkerd 19 July 2013 10:29:09AM 7 points [-]
Comment author: David_Gerard 19 July 2013 04:44:09PM 6 points [-]

See, this would work if the fic was trying to steelman Number Of The Beast.

Comment author: Bill_McGrath 20 July 2013 09:25:33AM 11 points [-]

What an ending that would be: Harry uses the Self-Indication Assumption to conclude that he is most probably a character in a Muggle story about magic, then manages to 'blackmail' the author into granting him godhood in order to stop Harry from committing suicide in a literarily unsatisfying fashion, since the author would prefer the former as an ending over the latter.

Am I the only one who thinks that would be a horrible ending?

Comment author: JayDee 20 July 2013 10:31:06AM 2 points [-]

Brings to mind the Hunger Games, personally.

Could make a fun Omake?

Comment author: Bill_McGrath 22 July 2013 03:58:05PM 1 point [-]

I've not read the books - don't tell me that Katniss figures out it's a story at the end of the last one?

Comment author: JayDee 23 July 2013 03:08:27AM 3 points [-]

I've only read the first one, where Katniss jvaf gur tnzrf ol guerngravat gb pbzzvg fhvpvqr va n yvgrenevyl hafngvfslvat jnl.

Comment author: Bill_McGrath 23 July 2013 11:01:46AM 1 point [-]

Ah yes; that's roughly what happens in the film. I see what you mean.

Comment author: BlindIdiotPoster 21 July 2013 10:03:16AM 5 points [-]

No.

Comment author: Alsadius 20 July 2013 06:58:06PM 3 points [-]

I discussed this on a previous thread. I wasn't a fan

Comment author: JoshuaZ 23 July 2013 03:26:02AM 3 points [-]

There's a problem also: if one thinks one is in a story which should get a higher estimate, that one is in a story or that one has had a psychotic break? This seems relevant.