You know, I once read an interesting book which said that, uh, most people lost in the wilds, they, they die of shame. Yeah, see, they die of shame. 'What did I do wrong? How could I have gotten myself into this?' And so they sit there and they... die. Because they didn't do the one thing that would save their lives. Thinking.

- David Mamet

Tags like "stupid," "bad at __", "sloppy," and so on, are ways of saying "You're performing badly and I don't know why." Once you move it to "you're performing badly because you have the wrong fingerings," or "you're performing badly because you don't understand what a limit is," it's no longer a vague personal failing but a causal necessity. Anyone who never understood limits will flunk calculus. It's not you, it's the bug.

-celandine13 (Hat-tip to Frank Adamek. In addition, the linked article is so good that I had trouble picking something to put in rationality quotes; in other words, I recommend it.)

I don't get this quote, it strikes me as wit with no substance.

Are there any guidelines, or does anyone have any significant thoughts, about mentioning Less Wrong in text in fanfiction (or any other type of fiction)? I know a lot of people came here by way of HP:MoR, myself included, but I'm interested if anyone has reasons that they believe it would be a bad idea, or an especially good one.

It can be really hard to tell whether a problem is more mind-like or more body-like.

A half truth is more frightening than a lie.

-Bengali proverb

This method sounds like it could be useful for unconscious habits. I have a bad one of gnawing on my finger nails. By the time I realize I'm doing it, however, the damage has been done. For whatever reason, I think my brain has connected nail biting with stress release. Taking away that association without having to rely on my poor willpower would be nice.