Right. In case you hadn't noticed already, this is my 5001[sup]st[/sup] post[footnote]This may or may not be because I accidentally went over 5000 a few minutes ago.[/footnote]. I don't want to make a whole thread just about me, so please bear with me for just a paragraph or two (and possibly a small gift to you) and then we'll move on.
[HEADING=1]The 5001 Post Celebration Bit[/HEADING]
I first came to the Escapist over a year ago when a friend told me that Robert Moran had started releasing a new series (Unforgotten Realms) in the same place as Zero Punctuation (which I had previously watched on Youtube), but for some reason I have absolutely no memory of joining the Forums (Fora?). According to my profile, I made my account in order to make this post
Since joining, I've got through 419 days, 2 birthdays, 2 school years, two avatars, one awesome computer, 4-ish different outlooks on life, 2 dogs, 5001 posts and innumerable Jaffa Cakes, and all that with consistently crappy wireless. I'd like to thank every single person who participates in making the Escapist the Escapist. That's everyone from the four(?) 30000+ posters to the lurkers who can't think of a good first post yet. The mods, the writing staff (and user reviewers), the video producers and the thread hamsters. The whole lot. You've taken hours of my time, and have caused me to feel much better about myself and how I want to be.
Feel free to take a cookie or two
[HEADING=1]The Thread Bit[/HEADING]
Now, this is just a little concept I've been meaning to share with the site in general for a little while. This will probably be either far more or far less interesting than the other half of this thread. Here it is:
Darwinistic evolution is a method for things to adapt. It's most obviously seen in nature as a way for different organisms to develop methods of continuing their genes' survival. What happens is this:
A species will add a small, random element to its genes when it reproduces. This random element may induce characteristics which are advantageous to the species, but it may also make it less likely to survive. This means that the species with the most advantageous characteristics will survive longest and induce more random changes. This continues, and the species is constantly improved and adapted to best ensure its survival.
Now, this model seems to work in this situation. Why shouldn't it work in others? More specifically, in information. That's the point of this topic.
Let's take as an example that oft-stated-but-never-confirmed rumour, "You swallow X spiders per Y days/months/years in your sleep". You're talking to a friend casually, and the conversation turns to spiders. He tells you that you swallow four spiders per month while you sleep. Impressed by this, you believe it since your friend has no reason to lie to you. A couple of weeks later you are talking to someone else and, once again, spiders come up. Because you're human, you get it slightly wrong and the four changes to a fourteen. This has a greater impression on the listener, and she goes away believing it to be knowledge.
That's the process I'm trying to explain. We had information, it was given a random change which improved (made more interesting) one of its characteristics (the number of spiders), and this makes it more likely to survive (be told to more people).
While this particular example isn't complex enough to represent a full evolutionary process, there are several examples of information which does follow it well. Take Greek legends, for example. The Odyssey spent centuries being passed around by word of mouth before it was eventually written down. During this time it was adapted and improved enormously simply by being heard and having each listener take in a separate version.
Anyway, I now seem to have written everything I want to put into this thread. That second half is, as I said, just a little idea I felt like forcing on you all. It's probably the longest thread I've ever written, so I apologise for writing in Wall font. Tell me what you think of me, my ideas, my cat or whatever. If you think I'm wrong, tell me why! If you want to say something nice about me, I'm open to that too. If you don't like cookies, then... um... you're abnormal? Yeah...
Now I just have to hope the wireless works for long enough for me to post this.
[HEADING=1]The 5001 Post Celebration Bit[/HEADING]
I first came to the Escapist over a year ago when a friend told me that Robert Moran had started releasing a new series (Unforgotten Realms) in the same place as Zero Punctuation (which I had previously watched on Youtube), but for some reason I have absolutely no memory of joining the Forums (Fora?). According to my profile, I made my account in order to make this post
on a "What game are you playing right now" thread, but I just don't remember it (and I obviously hadn't heard of punctuation back then).Tharwen said:
Since joining, I've got through 419 days, 2 birthdays, 2 school years, two avatars, one awesome computer, 4-ish different outlooks on life, 2 dogs, 5001 posts and innumerable Jaffa Cakes, and all that with consistently crappy wireless. I'd like to thank every single person who participates in making the Escapist the Escapist. That's everyone from the four(?) 30000+ posters to the lurkers who can't think of a good first post yet. The mods, the writing staff (and user reviewers), the video producers and the thread hamsters. The whole lot. You've taken hours of my time, and have caused me to feel much better about myself and how I want to be.
Feel free to take a cookie or two
[HEADING=1]The Thread Bit[/HEADING]
Now, this is just a little concept I've been meaning to share with the site in general for a little while. This will probably be either far more or far less interesting than the other half of this thread. Here it is:
Darwinistic evolution is a method for things to adapt. It's most obviously seen in nature as a way for different organisms to develop methods of continuing their genes' survival. What happens is this:
A species will add a small, random element to its genes when it reproduces. This random element may induce characteristics which are advantageous to the species, but it may also make it less likely to survive. This means that the species with the most advantageous characteristics will survive longest and induce more random changes. This continues, and the species is constantly improved and adapted to best ensure its survival.
Now, this model seems to work in this situation. Why shouldn't it work in others? More specifically, in information. That's the point of this topic.
Let's take as an example that oft-stated-but-never-confirmed rumour, "You swallow X spiders per Y days/months/years in your sleep". You're talking to a friend casually, and the conversation turns to spiders. He tells you that you swallow four spiders per month while you sleep. Impressed by this, you believe it since your friend has no reason to lie to you. A couple of weeks later you are talking to someone else and, once again, spiders come up. Because you're human, you get it slightly wrong and the four changes to a fourteen. This has a greater impression on the listener, and she goes away believing it to be knowledge.
That's the process I'm trying to explain. We had information, it was given a random change which improved (made more interesting) one of its characteristics (the number of spiders), and this makes it more likely to survive (be told to more people).
While this particular example isn't complex enough to represent a full evolutionary process, there are several examples of information which does follow it well. Take Greek legends, for example. The Odyssey spent centuries being passed around by word of mouth before it was eventually written down. During this time it was adapted and improved enormously simply by being heard and having each listener take in a separate version.
Anyway, I now seem to have written everything I want to put into this thread. That second half is, as I said, just a little idea I felt like forcing on you all. It's probably the longest thread I've ever written, so I apologise for writing in Wall font. Tell me what you think of me, my ideas, my cat or whatever. If you think I'm wrong, tell me why! If you want to say something nice about me, I'm open to that too. If you don't like cookies, then... um... you're abnormal? Yeah...
Now I just have to hope the wireless works for long enough for me to post this.
