I discredit the PR stunt idea because I don’t think SIAI would’ve dumb enough
to pull something like this as a stunt. If we were being modeled as ones who’d
simply go along with a lie- well, there’s no way we’d be modeled as such fools.
If we were modeled as ones who would look at a lie carefully, a PR stunt
wouldn’t work anyways.
Well, it doesn’t really matter what the people involved were thinking, the issue is whether all the associated drama eventually has a net positive or negative effect. It evidently drives some people away—but may increase engagement and interest among those who remain. I can see how it contributes to the site’s mythology and mystique—even if to me it looks more like a car crash that I can’t help looking at.
It may not be over yet—we may see more drama around the forbidden topic in the future—with the possibility of leaks, and further transgressions. After all, if this is really such a terrible risk, shouldn’t other people be aware of it—so they can avoid thinking about it for themselves?
Well, it doesn’t really matter what the people involved were thinking, the issue is whether all the associated drama eventually has a net positive or negative effect. It evidently drives some people away—but may increase engagement and interest among those who remain. I can see how it contributes to the site’s mythology and mystique—even if to me it looks more like a car crash that I can’t help looking at.
It may not be over yet—we may see more drama around the forbidden topic in the future—with the possibility of leaks, and further transgressions. After all, if this is really such a terrible risk, shouldn’t other people be aware of it—so they can avoid thinking about it for themselves?