Alicorn comments on Open Thread: September 2011 - LessWrong

5 Post author: Pavitra 03 September 2011 07:50PM

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Comment author: Alicorn 07 September 2011 08:15:40PM 1 point [-]

What's your second choice?

Comment author: ahartell 07 September 2011 08:27:41PM 0 points [-]

I can't think of any other fictional characters with a significant impact so if I don't use him I would write about one of the other prompts. Only I can't think of anything for the other choices and when I saw the fictional character option he immediately jumped to mind.

Comment author: [deleted] 07 September 2011 08:31:41PM *  -2 points [-]

Howard Roark is usually a shoe-in for these "which fictional character" essays.

EDIT: This is in no way an endorsement of Ayn Rand. She has severe and myriad issues.

Comment author: ahartell 07 September 2011 08:38:08PM *  1 point [-]

Thanks, I haven't read any Ayn Rand but Atlas Shrugged is next in my queue. I guess I'll swap it out for Fountainhead and see what I think.

I suspect it will be a bit dishonest to say that he had a great impact on me though if I read the book basically for the sake of the essay.

Comment author: [deleted] 07 September 2011 09:08:03PM 13 points [-]

I bet admissions committees hate when you say you were influenced by Ayn Rand. You want something either very prestigious, or very unexpected, and Atlas Shrugged is neither. You might well be better off with fanfiction, if you can sell it with a really good essay and leave yourself a little bit of ironic detachment wiggle room.

Comment author: Kevin 09 September 2011 03:55:53AM 4 points [-]

Agreed, Rand is a total no-go for college admissions essays.

Comment author: wedrifid 09 September 2011 04:49:41AM 1 point [-]

Who are some suitably high status inspirational folks to put on such essay.

Mind you college admissions here (Austrailia) are almost entirely based on high school exam scores so the information is completely useless to me!

Comment author: John_Maxwell_IV 09 September 2011 04:52:51AM 2 points [-]

Richard Feynman?

Comment author: wedrifid 09 September 2011 05:32:23AM *  1 point [-]

Oh, yeah. Him. I would be cringing as I wrote that. I'd be imagining myself rolling my eyes as I read piles of cookie cutter password guessing applications. Ick. But I'd force myself to write him anyway.

I wonder how much status you can get by dropping the name everyone drops. I suppose you at least wouldn't lose points.

Comment author: Kevin 09 September 2011 08:41:18AM 1 point [-]

This is the only inspirational thing I have ever read -- the now deleted post-movie option journals of a blind man that had his vision restored and had to teach himself how to see. http://web.archive.org/web/20040401192741/http://www.senderogroup.com/mikejournal.htm#Q1%202000

Comment author: wedrifid 09 September 2011 08:51:50AM *  0 points [-]

That reminds me. This guy is inspiring too! Raw badass.

Comment author: [deleted] 07 September 2011 09:42:37PM 2 points [-]

Oh, dear. This wasn't meant in any way as an endorsement of Ayn Rand.

I suspect it will be a bit dishonest to say that he had a great impact on me though if I read the book basically for the sake of the essay.

Eh, admission essays are games; they must be played.

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