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Sep 20, 2024
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Your Book Review: The Ballad of the White Horse

44 min • 6,044 words • 310 comments • 166 likes • podcast (38 min)
A review of G.K. Chesterton's 'The Ballad of the White Horse', examining its themes of hope, fate, and the need for constant renewal in preserving what is valuable. Longer summary
This review analyzes G.K. Chesterton's epic poem 'The Ballad of the White Horse', focusing on its themes of hope versus fate and the eternal revolution. The poem tells the story of King Alfred the Great's struggle against Viking invaders, using it as a vehicle to explore Chesterton's ideas about Christianity, conservatism, and the need for constant renewal to preserve good things. The reviewer highlights how Chesterton contrasts Christian hope with pagan fatalism, and explains the concept of the 'eternal revolution' - the idea that preserving anything of value requires ongoing effort and renewal, symbolized by the White Horse of Uffington that must be regularly maintained to persist. Shorter summary
Aug 23, 2024
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Your Book Review: The Complete Rhyming Dictionary and Poet's Craft Book (1936 Edition)

31 min • 4,296 words • 258 comments • 113 likes • podcast (27 min)
A review of Clement Wood's 1936 'Complete Rhyming Dictionary and Poet's Craft Book', discussing its historical context and value as a resource for aspiring poets during a transitional period in poetry. Longer summary
This review discusses 'The Complete Rhyming Dictionary and Poet's Craft Book' by Clement Wood, published in 1936. The reviewer explores the book's historical context, its approach to poetry, and its relevance in the transition between classical and modern poetry. The book is presented as a valuable resource for aspiring poets, offering both a guide to traditional forms and an introduction to newer styles like free verse. The review highlights the book's strengths in curation, its balanced perspective on poetic evolution, and its usefulness as a training tool. The reviewer also discusses the changing landscape of poetry in the early 20th century and how Wood's book captures this transitional period. Shorter summary
Jul 05, 2024
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Your Book Review: Don Juan

27 min • 3,682 words • 98 comments • 81 likes • podcast (22 min)
A verse review of Lord Byron's 'Don Juan', analyzing its plot, style, and themes while mimicking Byron's poetic form. Longer summary
This review analyzes Lord Byron's epic poem 'Don Juan', written in ottava rima. The reviewer summarizes the plot, highlighting Byron's departures from the traditional Don Juan legend, and discusses the poem's style, themes, and historical context. The review is itself written in verse, mimicking Byron's style and incorporating numerous literary and historical references. It concludes with reflections on Byron's life and the poem's potential message about agency and adventure. Shorter summary
Mar 14, 2024
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Verses On Five People Being Killed By A Falling Package Of Foreign Aid

4 min • 467 words • 381 comments • 427 likes • podcast (4 min)
Scott Alexander's poem, inspired by a tragic aid airdrop incident in Gaza, explores the challenges and unintended consequences of altruism through various philosophical lenses. Longer summary
Scott Alexander presents a poetic reflection on the challenges and unintended consequences of trying to help others, inspired by a tragic incident where an aid airdrop killed five people in Gaza. The poem explores various philosophical approaches to altruism and social responsibility, ultimately settling on a utilitarian perspective while acknowledging its limitations. The verses touch on historical figures, personal growth, and the complexities of moral decision-making in a world where good intentions can lead to harmful outcomes. Shorter summary
Mar 20, 2023
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Half An Hour Before Dawn In San Francisco

8 min • 1,098 words • 530 comments • 509 likes • podcast (8 min)
Scott Alexander narrates a haunting pre-dawn walk through San Francisco, mixing observations with apocalyptic musings before the spell is broken by sunrise. Longer summary
Scott Alexander describes a surreal early morning experience in San Francisco, blending observations of the city with morbid thoughts and literary references. He reflects on the city's role as a hub of technological progress and potential existential risk, comparing it to pivotal moments in Earth's history. The post oscillates between eerie, apocalyptic imagery and more grounded observations, ultimately acknowledging the normalcy of the city as daylight breaks. Shorter summary
Aug 26, 2022
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Your Book Review: Kora In Hell

24 min • 3,248 words • 131 comments • 44 likes • podcast (24 min)
A detailed review of William Carlos Williams' 'Kora in Hell: Improvisations', analyzing its structure, themes, and literary context within modernist poetry. Longer summary
This review analyzes William Carlos Williams' 'Kora in Hell: Improvisations', exploring its structure, themes, and literary context. The reviewer discusses the book's title, its improvisational nature, and Williams' approach to poetry. They compare Williams' style to contemporaries like T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound, highlighting his focus on American experiences and the present. The review also examines the book's structure, Williams' use of commentary, and his relationship to improvisation and composition in art. The reviewer concludes by discussing the various ways to approach and interpret the text. Shorter summary
Jun 06, 2022
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It's Bad On Purpose To Make You Click

3 min • 288 words • 86 comments • 298 likes
Scott writes a satirical poem about clickbait content, repeating the refrain 'It's bad on purpose to make you click' to critique manipulative media practices. Longer summary
This post is a satirical poem criticizing clickbait content and manipulative media practices. Scott uses rhyming verse to humorously describe how outrageous or controversial content is deliberately created to generate engagement on social media platforms. The poem advises readers to recognize this tactic and avoid engaging with such content, repeating the refrain 'It's bad on purpose to make you click' throughout. Shorter summary
Jan 06, 2020
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A Very Unlikely Chess Game

10 min • 1,343 words • 182 comments • podcast (10 min)
Scott Alexander plays chess against GPT-2, an AI language model, and discusses the broader implications of AI's ability to perform diverse tasks without specific training. Longer summary
Scott Alexander describes a chess game he played against GPT-2, an AI language model not designed for chess. Despite neither player performing well, GPT-2 managed to play a decent game without any understanding of chess or spatial concepts. The post then discusses the work of Gwern Branwen and Shawn Presser in training GPT-2 to play chess, showing its ability to learn opening theory and play reasonably well for several moves. Scott reflects on the implications of an AI designed for text prediction being able to perform tasks like writing poetry, composing music, and playing chess without being specifically designed for them. Shorter summary
Mar 14, 2019
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Gwern’s AI-Generated Poetry

17 min • 2,349 words • 186 comments • podcast (18 min)
Scott Alexander examines AI-generated poetry produced by Gwern's GPT-2 model trained on classical poetry, highlighting its strengths and limitations. Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews Gwern's experiment in training GPT-2 on poetry. The AI-generated poetry shows impressive command of meter and occasionally rhyme, though it tends to degrade in quality after the first few lines. Scott provides numerous examples of the AI's output, ranging from competent imitations of classical styles to more experimental forms. He notes that while the AI sometimes produces nonsensical content, it can also generate surprisingly beautiful and coherent lines. The post concludes with a reflection on how our perceptions of poetry might be influenced by knowing whether it's human or AI-generated. Shorter summary
Aug 27, 2018
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Elegy For John McCain

2 min • 222 words • 369 comments • podcast (4 min)
Scott Alexander writes a satirical poem about John McCain's passing, imagining him continuing his warmongering ways in the afterlife. Longer summary
This post is a satirical poem about John McCain's passing, portraying him as continuing his warmongering ways in the afterlife. The poem uses religious imagery and references to depict McCain criticizing heaven's peaceful policies and rallying angels for war. It maintains a mocking tone throughout, ending with the suggestion that if readers see apocalyptic signs, it's due to McCain's continued belligerence even after death. The poem is structured in various rhyme schemes and meters, showcasing Scott's creative writing skills. Shorter summary
Jul 25, 2018
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Verses Composed Upon Reading A Review From TripAdvisor

3 min • 345 words • 28 comments • podcast (6 min)
Scott Alexander reimagines Coleridge's 'Kubla Khan' as a modern TripAdvisor review of Xanadu, blending classical poetry with contemporary tourism. Longer summary
This post is a creative writing piece by Scott Alexander, reimagining Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem 'Kubla Khan' as a modern-day TripAdvisor review. The poem humorously describes a tourist's visit to Xanadu, now commercialized with entry fees, guided tours, and attractions like white-water rafting and an IMAX theater. It maintains much of the original poem's structure and imagery while infusing it with contemporary tourism elements. The piece ends with a playful 5/5 rating, mimicking a typical online review format. Shorter summary
Mar 28, 2014
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The Character’s Complaint

6 min • 798 words • 14 comments
A humorous poem where a fictional character begs their author not to write any more books about them, listing various genres and authors they'd like to avoid. Longer summary
This poem, written from the perspective of a fictional character, humorously pleads with the author not to write any more books featuring them. The character lists various genres and famous authors, explaining why they don't want to be in those types of stories or written by those authors. They promise to avoid plot hooks and dramatic situations, and suggest the author pursue other writing careers like journalism or science writing. The poem ends with the character urging the author to put down the pen and enjoy life instead of writing. Shorter summary
Dec 24, 2013
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[REPOST] A Christmas Poem

4 min • 523 words • 35 comments
Scott Alexander shares a humorous Christmas poem parodying Dr. Seuss and the biblical story of King Herod, exploring the true meaning of Christmas. Longer summary
This post is a Christmas-themed parody poem in the style of Dr. Seuss, retelling the biblical story of King Herod and the Massacre of the Innocents. The poem humorously depicts Herod's attempt to prevent the birth of Jesus by stealing all the babies in Jewville. However, when Christmas still comes despite his actions, Herod realizes that the holiday might not be solely about Jesus. The poem ends with Herod having a change of heart, returning the children, and joining in the celebration. Scott Alexander notes that this is a repost from his old blog, which he has locked, and he's selectively reposting content he believes should be preserved. Shorter summary
Jul 17, 2013
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Who By Very Slow Decay

29 min • 4,039 words • 98 comments • podcast (30 min)
Scott Alexander provides a stark, critical look at end-of-life care in hospitals, challenging idealized notions of death and the concept of 'cultivating a culture of life'. Longer summary
Scott Alexander describes the harsh realities of end-of-life care in modern hospitals, contrasting it with common idealized notions of death. He details the often undignified and painful process many patients go through, criticizes the concept of 'cultivating a culture of life' in hospitals, and expresses his personal wishes for a dignified death. The post is divided into three sections: a graphic description of typical hospital deaths, a critique of hospital poetry, and personal reflections on death and euthanasia. Shorter summary