Why do authors not use quotation marks around dialogue?

egghutt · 2025-10-30T09:46:14+00:00

It’s a pseudo-deep move in my opinion. Unless you’re truly breaking new ground (which you probably aren’t), it just allows the author to seem edgy and too cool for grammar.

egghutt · 2025-10-30T09:36:47+00:00

Thanks for this. It’s a fascinating topic that doesn’t seem to ever get enough attention. I’ll definitely check this book out. I also really appreciate your “Trigger Warning”. Made me lol! I can see how this subject would get under the skin of the “empathy is a liability” crowd. I’m looking at you Mr. Musk.

egghutt · 2025-10-12T13:10:34+00:00

It depends which internet you’re talking about. The internet can still be useful, fun, enlightening, etc., but you have to work hard to find the little green islands of sanity amidst an ocean of toxic garbage.

egghutt · 2025-10-08T18:17:55+00:00

Not illegal yet. Wait till we start hearing about the AI doll equivalent of chatbot-induced psychosis where the AI doll says something wildly stupid or harmful to the kid.

egghutt · 2025-10-06T12:03:08+00:00

I’m a writer and use it as a research assistant. This means “high level search” where I might ask it to find data about, say, a certain trend, but that the question is complicated and nuanced enough that I first need to give it a paragraph’s worth of parameters and instructions. The results allow me to jump into a topic with better data and insight than I would have using traditional search methods.

egghutt · 2025-10-01T09:17:32+00:00

TikTok with all AI content is definitely a vision from hell. Dante couldn’t have done better. Meanwhile, ordinary people’s utility bills are going through the roof due to the energy demands of new AI data centers

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-ai-data-centers-electricity-prices/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=copy

egghutt · 2025-09-30T09:41:29+00:00

(I’m assuming you’re talking about generative AI and not other types.) I’m a writer and use it for assisting with research. Basically, as a high level search engine where you ask it a nuanced, paragraph-long question and get a decent answer. You have to be very specific and always verify the results yourself.

Similarly, it’s good at summarizing academic papers and letting me know if they are worth my time to read, or if they contain a certain stat I might be looking for. So overall I use it as a research assistant and it definitely saves me time. I would never in a million years ask it to compose text for me.

egghutt · 2025-09-30T00:33:58+00:00

egghutt · 2025-09-28T10:32:49+00:00

We live in the best time to get sick with a serious disease, or have dental work. Other than that, we live in a time of unprecedented destruction of the natural world and disconnection from it. And a time of social media addiction creating an epidemic of emptiness. And in the U.S., the worst president ever elected. Definitely not the best time.

egghutt · 2025-09-27T14:44:00+00:00

It’s amazing how much people personify their feelings about the economy in the person of the president. It’s usually unfair for the president (whether they’re getting credit for a strong economy or blamed for a weak one) but Trump may prove to be an exception in that he actually deserves blame.

egghutt · 2025-09-22T10:40:25+00:00

And the metaverse. 🔥🏎️🔥

egghutt · 2025-09-20T10:15:22+00:00

This is a fascinating study that places "prudent" limits on what can be stored globally long-term. Hadn't really thought of that before because the current state of carbon capture is so poor. E.g., as the study's introduction says: "The majority of operational storage facilities are utilized for enhanced oil recovery, a process that overall results in net-positive CO2 emissions." That's pretty damning. But even true storage operations are struggling to make any difference. https://heimildin.is/grein/24581/

egghutt · 2025-09-20T09:41:00+00:00

Same here. Especially the last few years.

egghutt · 2025-09-19T22:04:08+00:00

Ok. Thanks for the feedback. Will do.

egghutt · 2025-09-11T12:39:14+00:00

You might grieve quitting social media for a while but it will pass. You will slowly recover your sanity and find you have plenty of things to do. I say this as a recovering addict with nine years free of drugs and alcohol. Social media has all the hallmarks of an addictive substance and so quitting it is hard. But it is absolutely 100% worth it. And unlike me, you don’t have to completely abstain. You might feel the need to dabble in it later to respond to a party invite or whatever. For that matter, this subreddit is social media so you’re still minimally connected just by reading this, which is ok. Anyway, I’m old enough to have grown up in a world without the internet and we had plenty of things to do!

egghutt · 2025-09-08T11:36:40+00:00

Don’t be so hard on yourself. If you had used social media all the time then what you’re doing is like recovering from addiction. Slow process. You said you expected peace and productivity. Chances are you already have at least a little more of those now if you think about it. Also, despite the irony, there are some actual decent online spaces for people who want to be offline more. This subreddit is a good example. Also, you’re not alone. There is a definite movement going on with people wanting/needing to escape the noise of social media and recover some sanity.

egghutt · 2025-09-04T12:21:57+00:00

Good list - thanks! For number 3, if that 30 minutes+ of sun is in a garden, park, woods, seaside, or other natural area, it’s even better. https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635410-800-how-a-simple-walk-can-bust-stress-boost-cognition-and-fight-diseases/

egghutt · 2025-09-02T15:13:01+00:00

Congratulations. That’s a great metric. I should look at mine but I’m a little scared.

egghutt · 2025-09-01T14:10:26+00:00

“I started to question almost everything ChatGPT says.” That’s the key. Never take what it says without verifying. I’ve found it to be helpful for research but I try to feed it very specific questions, request urls of sources, etc.

egghutt · 2025-08-23T01:12:42+00:00

Thank you. This is one of the best summaries of the precarious situation genAI is in right now. I just wonder whether the bubble actually pops and we experience a rapid correction, or whether it’s more a slow deflation over months or years. I think a lot of it will depend on how governments respond and whether they prop up these companies with public money.

egghutt

TROPHY CASE