41–50 of 80 posts
There's a similar story about a progression of robot repair devices --- which has to end in a "Master Robot Repairman" profession which is the folks who repair the robots which repair other robots. Blanking on author and title, but read it a _long_ while ago, and it had a distinctly golden age feel --- maybe Murray Leinster?
A very nice story, and an interesting reflection on the education system. Also, and this is just an aside, but “the protagonist who is too special for the sorting hat” is a bit of a trope in young adult literature at this point. Is this the first real instance of it? 1957. That’s a while ago! I don’t even know if the “sorting hat” trope was established enough to subvert at the time.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
No one would have recognized any tropes in 1957 beyond Shakespeare. Even Joseph Campbell wasn’t popularized until decades later.
Sorry, I can’t tell if this is sarcastic. Well I think it has a kernel of truth that overstates it for rhetorical flair. I’m willing to believe the phrase “trope” wasn’t invented in 1957 if that’s what you are saying. But surely they had the idea of popular little trends in contemporary literature. The must have known they were writing pulp sci-fi. At least when they got their copies they could feel the texture!
A very nice story, and an interesting reflection on the education system. Also, and this is just an aside, but “the protagonist who is too special for the sorting hat” is a bit of a trope in young adult literature at this point. Is this the first real instance of it? 1957. That’s a while ago! I don’t even know if the “sorting hat” trope was established enough to subvert at the time.
No one would have recognized any tropes in 1957 beyond Shakespeare. Even Joseph Campbell wasn’t popularized until decades later.
0: https://kyla.substack.com/p/the-four-phases-of-institutional
Remind me of a recent discussion we had among Stackoverflow moderator: > “Think about it,” he continued. “Who discovers the edge cases the docs don’t mention? Who answers the questions that haven’t been asked before? It can’t be people trained only to repeat canonical answers. Somewhere, it has to stop. Somewhere, someone has to think.” > “Yes,” said the Moderator. > He leaned back. For a moment, restlessness flicker…
A very nice story, and an interesting reflection on the education system. Also, and this is just an aside, but “the protagonist who is too special for the sorting hat” is a bit of a trope in young adult literature at this point. Is this the first real instance of it? 1957. That’s a while ago! I don’t even know if the “sorting hat” trope was established enough to subvert at the time.
"Fans are slans."
Remind me of a recent discussion we had among Stackoverflow moderator: > “Think about it,” he continued. “Who discovers the edge cases the docs don’t mention? Who answers the questions that haven’t been asked before? It can’t be people trained only to repeat canonical answers. Somewhere, it has to stop. Somewhere, someone has to think.” > “Yes,” said the Moderator. > He leaned back. For a moment, restlessness flicker…
What does “destroy the system” mean here?
Remind me of a recent discussion we had among Stackoverflow moderator: > “Think about it,” he continued. “Who discovers the edge cases the docs don’t mention? Who answers the questions that haven’t been asked before? It can’t be people trained only to repeat canonical answers. Somewhere, it has to stop. Somewhere, someone has to think.” > “Yes,” said the Moderator. > He leaned back. For a moment, restlessness flicker…
What does “destroy the system” mean here?
Probably not the OPs intent though. I suspect there are a lot of ways to destroy the system.