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Map-Territory Distinctions
Scott humorously describes his frustrating attempts to dispose of an oversized trash can, exploring various communication strategies with garbage collectors.
3 min read 385 words
A thread through the archive
humor
Essays tagged “humor”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on humor
49 essaysSSC
Evening Doc
Scott Alexander presents a parody of 'Piano Man' from a doctor's perspective, humorously portraying hospital life and patient care.
3 min read 401 words
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Emotionally Valent Links Post
Scott shares emotionally charged thoughts on various topics, including education, relationships, free speech, rape statistics, medical residency, and a humorous Hitler anecdote.
9 min read 1,298 words
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Causal Models At Work
Scott Alexander shares two humorous medical anecdotes that highlight the potential for misunderstanding complex health information.
2 min read 171 words
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Metaphors Be With You
Scott Alexander presents an extensive collection of humorous and creative metaphors, similes, and other figurative language from various sources.
14 min read 2,166 words
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Housekeeping Post April 2014
Scott gives a housekeeping update on his blog, covering his work schedule, a fellow blogger's status, comment policies, and medical advice requests.
3 min read 378 words
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My New OKCupid Profile
Scott Alexander shares his new OKCupid profile, which consists solely of a link to his blog, creating a meta-joke about online dating and self-promotion.
1 min read 27 words
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Effects Of Vertical Acceleration On Wrongness
The author humorously responds to a common argument against evidence-based medicine, suggesting a parachute experiment with a twist.
1 min read 56 words
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More Search Terms That Have Led People To This Blog
Scott Alexander analyzes bizarre and amusing search terms that led people to his blog, revealing unexpected insights into internet users' interests and concerns.
17 min read 2,577 words
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Based on your findings, which theory about alien thickness seems most valid or most accurate?
Scott Alexander investigates and humorously addresses a recurring search query about 'alien thickness', tracing it to a 7th-grade science assignment and offering guidance on solving the problem.
9 min read 1,265 words
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Ten Things I Want To Stop Seeing On The Internet In 2014
Scott Alexander humorously criticizes ten irritating internet trends he hopes will end in 2014, ranging from overused words to memes and logical fallacies.
10 min read 1,549 words
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[REPOST] A Christmas Poem
Scott Alexander shares a humorous Christmas poem parodying Dr. Seuss and the biblical story of King Herod, exploring the true meaning of Christmas.
4 min read 523 words
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Links for September
Scott shares a diverse collection of interesting links ranging from scientific studies and economic developments to cultural oddities and humor pieces.
9 min read 1,278 words
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The Hospital Orientation
Scott Alexander provides a satirical account of a hospital orientation, highlighting its various absurdities and contradictions.
5 min read 639 words
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Overheard In The Box, Part II
Mike humorously recounts grounding morality in IHOP's waffles after a meta-ethics discussion, highlighting the challenges in reaching agreement on such topics.
1 min read 75 words
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Search Terms That Have Led People To This Blog
Scott Alexander humorously responds to bizarre search terms that have led people to his blog, covering a wide range of topics with wit and sarcasm.
5 min read 755 words
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A good pun is its own reword
Scott Alexander explores what makes puns truly great, providing numerous examples and discussing various types of exceptional wordplay.
8 min read 1,112 words
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Hitting Below The (Bible) Belt
Scott shares a comedic video about people praising a non-existent Pope, using it to humorously critique Catholic tendency to believe in nonexistent father figures.
2 min read 185 words
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Yet Another Parable On The Importance Of Controlling Your Experiments
Scott attempts to test a productivity hack using calligraphy study, but discovers calligraphy itself is captivating, leaving the experiment inconclusive.
2 min read 235 words
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Pope and Change: An Atheist’s Guide To Vatican Decision 2013
Scott Alexander humorously profiles potential papal candidates from an atheist's perspective, focusing on their quirky aspects rather than theological positions.
15 min read 2,223 words
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I liked Lovecraft countless primaeval aeons before it was cool
Scott Alexander criticizes the humorous adaptations of Lovecraft's work in geek culture, arguing they miss the author's intent to create a sense of the strange and transcendent.
11 min read 1,618 words
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Are You a Solar Deity?
Scott uses Littledale's satire proving Max Muller was a solar myth to show how comparative methods can prove anything, and asks how to tell true correspondences from false ones.
8 min read 1,221 words