Joining these forums can serve as something of a reality check to gifted young people; they may be used to most any half-baked thought still being sufficient to impress their environment. Rarely is polish needed, rarely are “proofs” thoroughly nitpicked. Getting actual feedback knocking them off of their pedestal (“the smartest one around”) can be ego-bruising, since we usually define ourselves through our perceived strengths. Ego-bruising, yet really, really important for actual personal and intellectual growth.
Blessed be the ones growing up around other minds who call them out on their mistakes, intellects against which they can grow their potential.
(I don’t mean this as applying specifically to Avi, but more as a general observation.)
Smart people growing up in environments where most people around them are less smart tend to develop a highly convenient habit of handwaving or bullshitting through issues. However when they find themselves among people who are at least as smart as they are and some are smarter, that habit often leads to problems and a need for adjustment :-)
Does that go both ways? That is, can I “nitpick” other people’s comments and posts? Also, if I find a typo in a post (in the sequences so far, I’ve spotted at least 2), is it acceptable to comment just pointing out the typo?
This is my own practice. My reasoning is that pointing out a typo is of no enduring interest to other readers, and renders the comments section less valuable to other readers; so if it’s convenient to contact the author more quietly, one should.
I don’t think I would have minded as much if there would have been comments explaining why they thought I was wrong. It was the lack of response that bothered me.
(And what’s with this “You are trying to submit too fast”? I’m not allowed to post too many comments in a row?)
And what’s with this “You are trying to submit too fast”? I’m not allowed to post too many comments in a row?
Yes. If I remember correctly, LW also implements some form of slow-banning (the amount of time required between your comments depends on your total karma), but I may be recalling a feature request as an implemented feature.
Joining these forums can serve as something of a reality check to gifted young people; they may be used to most any half-baked thought still being sufficient to impress their environment. Rarely is polish needed, rarely are “proofs” thoroughly nitpicked. Getting actual feedback knocking them off of their pedestal (“the smartest one around”) can be ego-bruising, since we usually define ourselves through our perceived strengths. Ego-bruising, yet really, really important for actual personal and intellectual growth.
Blessed be the ones growing up around other minds who call them out on their mistakes, intellects against which they can grow their potential.
(I don’t mean this as applying specifically to Avi, but more as a general observation.)
Yep. I’ll put it even more directly.
Smart people growing up in environments where most people around them are less smart tend to develop a highly convenient habit of handwaving or bullshitting through issues. However when they find themselves among people who are at least as smart as they are and some are smarter, that habit often leads to problems and a need for adjustment :-)
Does that go both ways? That is, can I “nitpick” other people’s comments and posts? Also, if I find a typo in a post (in the sequences so far, I’ve spotted at least 2), is it acceptable to comment just pointing out the typo?
Why not PM them first?
This is my own practice. My reasoning is that pointing out a typo is of no enduring interest to other readers, and renders the comments section less valuable to other readers; so if it’s convenient to contact the author more quietly, one should.
Yes. I recommend using ctrl-f to ensure no one else has already pointed out that typo.
Of course you can. Whether it’s wise to do so is an entirely different question :-D
Yep, been there, have a bruised ego to show for it.
I don’t think I would have minded as much if there would have been comments explaining why they thought I was wrong. It was the lack of response that bothered me.
(And what’s with this “You are trying to submit too fast”? I’m not allowed to post too many comments in a row?)
Yes. If I remember correctly, LW also implements some form of slow-banning (the amount of time required between your comments depends on your total karma), but I may be recalling a feature request as an implemented feature.
I thought it was caused by having a lot of recent posts downvoted.