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PaperclipPerfector  6d ago (text post)   2708 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for August 30, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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So what would you like to read (more of)? What is the specific nerdbait that would work on this crowd?
I could probably ask a LLM to condense all the works cited in these threads into some quintessential attributes but individuals have different standards they operate on, and I'm interested if you've figured them out.
Is there some genre or subject matter or trope that you would like to see more of, and would even tolerate lower-quality writing for a story that checks the boxes?
Or what makes a 'good' book for you?

At this point in my life, rational fiction and hard science fiction are pretty much the only things that do it for me. Basically everything Eliezer covers in his Abridged Guide to Intelligent Characters as well as his laws of fanfiction and philosophy of fanfiction. On that note, I strongly prefer fanfiction over original fiction, because it means I don't have to waste time learning the characters.

Things I particularly enjoy: Brain uploads, post-apocalyptic scenarios, tech uplift. Things I don't usually enjoy: LitRPG, polyamory, metafiction.

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