Scott traces the obscure Romano-British god Nodens through various mythologies, connecting him to figures like Nuada, King Lud, Tolkien's Celebrimbor, and ultimately to Ned Ludd of the Luddite movement, arguing they all represent the same archetypal figure of a techno-utopian who tries to control or undo dangerous technology. Longer summary

Scott begins by introducing Nodens, an obscure Romano-British-Celtic god of hunting and rivers, then traces how J.R.R. Tolkien connected him to Irish mythology's Nuada of the Silver Arm and Welsh mythology's Lludd. He shows how this figure appears throughout literature - in Tolkien's Celebrimbor, Lovecraft's mythology, Star Wars' Luke Skywalker, and various other silver-armed or technology-concerned characters. The common theme is always a smith or visionary who creates powerful technology and then desperately tries to contain it. In the second part, Scott connects this mythological figure to Ned Ludd, the likely-fictional inspiration for the Luddite movement, arguing they are the same archetypal entity. He concludes by interpreting the recent Navier-Stokes proof as a message that humanity can choose to control technology's trajectory, connecting it to the god's ancient message about containing dangerous knowledge. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander criticizes the humorous adaptations of Lovecraft's work in geek culture, arguing they miss the author's intent to create a sense of the strange and transcendent. Longer summary

Scott Alexander critiques the transformation of Lovecraft's work in geek culture, arguing that the humorous adaptations of Cthulhu and other Lovecraftian elements miss the author's original intent. He emphasizes that Lovecraft's aim was to create a sense of the strange, intense, and unearthly, divorced from everyday mundanity. Scott argues that Lovecraft opposed ironic humor that diminishes the transcendent nature of his creations. He urges readers who are interested in Lovecraft to explore his serious works, particularly recommending 'The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath' and shorter stories in the Dream Cycle. Shorter summary