15 Comments
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Shield Maiden's avatar

That, my good man, was truly a masterpiece. I would like to thank you profusely for writing down so masterfully what I was once only able to feel. "You're a human being, gloriously irrational, beautifully unpredictable, eternally refusing to be optimized."

Terminally_Drifting's avatar

High praise, appreciate it.

Justin CS's avatar

Interesting observation, even though I'm not sure I agree with the advice. Inefficiency sometimes wins but I think efficiency wins more often.

Minor note, I enjoyed the piece but I feel it's a bit too long and feels a bit like AI generation. I suggest trying to make things a bit more concise in the future.

Richard Seabrook's avatar

I think you are missing his point. The game is different than you think. Poker has efficient (aka "game theory optimal") play that can be calculated based on the known cards and sufficient computing power. But calculatable efficiency only exists in games with well-defined rules. Reality doesn't work that way. Believing that life has the equivalent of game theory optimal play is the mistake.

M M's avatar

I would imagine life does, given some set of objectives. It's just well beyond our capabilities to calculate it

Terminally_Drifting's avatar

If we discover it, then all of this ends.

Rajat Chakraborty's avatar

Definitely used AI but good points nonetheless, although differs by context.

Stefan Wirth's avatar

Very meta lol.

Terminally_Drifting's avatar

“ Writing? Don't get me started. AI can now generate "content" that's indistinguishable from the average Medium post, which says more about Medium than it does about AI. We're rapidly approaching a world where most text is written by machines for machines, with humans as accidental bystanders in their own culture.”

FXG's avatar

Yes. It reads like the AI mine spits out on the regular.

Malenkiy Scot's avatar

Have you read The Master and His Emissary?

Malenkiy Scot's avatar

My apologies, I should have finished the thought: it rhymes with this essay.

DC Reade's avatar

lol, mathematic poker sounds like a game of craps where everyone but the shooter bets the "don't pass" line, all the time. That the shooter won't make his point before losing with a 7, 11, or doubles. The line that gives the bettor an advantage of- what is it, half of one percent? The only bet like that in the entire casino.

I've never seen anyone bet the "don't pass" line, much less everyone doing it. You gotta be people.

Terminally_Drifting's avatar

Mathematic poker as you put it, is the only form of genuine winning gambling long term. Same applies for sports betting but the point still holds.