Contrast the LW model with the “conversational blogging” model where you sit down, scribble some thoughts out, hit post, and see what your readers think. Without worrying excessively about what readers think, you’re free to write in open mode and have creative ideas you wouldn’t have when you’re feeling self-critical.
I don’t know if I’ve ever read the following from an original source (i.e., Eliezer or Scott), but when people ask “why do those guys no longer post on Less Wrong?”, the common response I get from their personal friends in the Bay Area, or wherever, and the community at large, is apparently, however justified or not, the worry their posts would be overly criticized by posts is what drove them off Less Wrong for fairer pastures where their ideas wouldn’t need pass through a crucible of (possibly motivated) skepticism before valued or spread.
Which shows that a bug to some people is a feature to others.
A lot of posts, including in the Sequences, have really good criticisms in the comments. (For that matter, a lot of SSC posts have really good criticisms in the comments, which Scott usually just ignores.) I can easily understand why people don’t like reading criticism, but if you’re posting for the ideas, some criticism should be expected.
I don’t know if I’ve ever read the following from an original source (i.e., Eliezer or Scott), but when people ask “why do those guys no longer post on Less Wrong?”, the common response I get from their personal friends in the Bay Area, or wherever, and the community at large, is apparently, however justified or not, the worry their posts would be overly criticized by posts is what drove them off Less Wrong for fairer pastures where their ideas wouldn’t need pass through a crucible of (possibly motivated) skepticism before valued or spread.
Which shows that a bug to some people is a feature to others.
A lot of posts, including in the Sequences, have really good criticisms in the comments. (For that matter, a lot of SSC posts have really good criticisms in the comments, which Scott usually just ignores.) I can easily understand why people don’t like reading criticism, but if you’re posting for the ideas, some criticism should be expected.