Post Atj44zDDf1Dcf2lmRk by EVDHmn@ecoevo.social
 (DIR) More posts by EVDHmn@ecoevo.social
 (DIR) Post #Atj1l2x1qlmcYaYqFU by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2025-05-03T18:29:58Z
       
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       Is there more than one best way to word a sentence in a story? Imagine an alternate timeline where Melville lost his original manuscript for Moby Dick and had to write it out again from memory: it would be a slightly different story (but I think probably just as good) — would it really be a different book? (probably not) — if this isn’t true then the process of revision can never end. Since there would be some “best” way to tell it and you’d need to burn a life time making the first paragraph.
       
 (DIR) Post #Atj2Ghj4Ifzpzk7uWO by timo21@mastodon.sdf.org
       2025-05-03T18:35:38Z
       
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       @futurebird AI could rewrite many books from history 😬
       
 (DIR) Post #Atj2Kwn4EUStsJ1Jlg by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2025-05-03T18:36:28Z
       
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       @timo21 And that’s just making a translation without telling a new story isn’t it?
       
 (DIR) Post #Atj2zlLxf1euHAnuPQ by graydon@canada.masto.host
       2025-05-03T18:43:47Z
       
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       @futurebird Daniel Dennett explained the concept of Vast through the metaphor of Dennett's Library; not only all the books ever written, but all the books that could ever have been written. ("Something is wretched in Denmark", etc.)The Curse of Dennett's Library is the conviction that the word chosen is not the best word, and if one could (it's a metaphor, where all things are possible) sort the versions of the book by goodness, what they have written would rank low.It's a true curse.
       
 (DIR) Post #Atj44zDDf1Dcf2lmRk by EVDHmn@ecoevo.social
       2025-05-03T18:55:56Z
       
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       @futurebird I like the way you think!
       
 (DIR) Post #Atj45qQrn0cviiYvZo by darkling@mstdn.social
       2025-05-03T18:55:57Z
       
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       @futurebird Sort of an even more meta Tristram Shandy?
       
 (DIR) Post #Atj9G8YFmFoOaAkE4W by futurebird@sauropods.win
       2025-05-03T19:53:59Z
       
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       @fivetonsflax Borges knew about #thebackrooms That library is totally a “level” as the kids call it. #backrooms
       
 (DIR) Post #AtjDnPQ4U0DQGq2QxU by mansr@society.oftrolls.com
       2025-05-03T20:44:49Z
       
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       @futurebird @fivetonsflax I immediately thought of Borges, specifically "Pierre Menard, autor del Quijote."
       
 (DIR) Post #AtjHwvoDpQFf9E8AEq by babelcarp@social.tchncs.de
       2025-05-03T21:31:20Z
       
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       @futurebird https://discuss.systems/@steve/114439767514825611
       
 (DIR) Post #AtjJYVLImJbK1Q5FKK by llewelly@sauropods.win
       2025-05-03T21:49:22Z
       
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       @futurebird if you have a narrow, specific audience in mind, and it's a simple sentence, then there may be a single best way for that audience. But if you've a range of audiences you write for, or if you have a complicated sentence, or both, you'll face complex tradeoffs among many competing good ways and no single best way.
       
 (DIR) Post #AtjkEJ0Lddw8j8sLEO by IainMac9@aus.social
       2025-05-04T02:48:12Z
       
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       @futurebird https://youtu.be/ogPZ5CY9KoM?feature=shared