scrape_r_rational/data/cache2/2cfnqu.md

## Just finished The last Christmas

* Author: u/rationalidurr  *If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight!**
* URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/rational/comments/2cfnqu/just_finished_the_last_christmas/
* Score: 19

* Created: 2014-08-02T17:01:24

### Post:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9915682/1/The-Last-Christmas
Had this on backlog for a while, boy was  I wrong to do that. Anywho, here's a link for more of his writing:

https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4976703/alexanderwales

Please note that if you have anything of his on backlog, go read it ASAP, its all goody, shorty non-regret inducing stories. 

### Comments:

> **u/alexeyr** [+6]  *Steersman* (35 minutes later)
> 
> > if you have anything of his on backlog
> 
> I don't, I've read it all :(

> **u/_brightwing** [+3]  *Feathered menace* (4 hours later)
> 
> I admit I was skeptical about reading something Christmas-ish initially, but then Eliezer Yudkowsky recommended it - it's worth a look.  And then I was like.. wow, just wow. To take deconstruction of a concept to such a ridiculously badass level.  My thought pattern regressed as the story continued, to something like holy shit, Holy Shit! Suddenly days have waltz by and I found myself despairing, frantically searching around for the next of his work.
> 
>  I am ashamed to admit though, I haven't read a Bluer Shade of White yet. Took a great feat of willpower not to.  As much as I hate leaving it like this, it's just that I never seem to be getting around to watching Frozen first.  It's amazing to see how a writer can take a world, and make something extraordinary out of it. I don't want to miss out on that.
> 
> I wish Metropolitan Man didn't have to end :/

>> **u/alexanderwales** [+3]  *Time flies like an arrow* (2 days later)
>> 
>> I would definitely suggest watching *Frozen* before reading *A Bluer Shade of White*. It's not strictly necessary, but I think will enhance your enjoyment of the fic. Besides that, it's also one of my favorite Disney movies, and does its own deconstructions/subversions of the standard Disney tropes in a way that's pretty pleasing.

>>> **u/MoralRelativity** [+1]  (12 days later)
>>> 
>>> Second that.

> **u/JackStargazer** [+3]  *Primordial Apologist* (11 hours later)
> 
> Y'know, he's actually on here. Paging /u/alexanderwales !

>> **u/alexanderwales** [+6]  *Time flies like an arrow* (12 hours later)
>> 
>> Oh hey, that's me!
>> 
>> I'm glad that people like *The Last Christmas*, but I keep looking at it as a very flawed piece - complete in the sense that the story is over, but not complete in the sense that there are a lot of things that I want to eventually change about it. I wrote the whole thing fairly quickly after getting done with National Novel Writing Month 2013\*, and had set Christmas as my deadline.
>> 
>> I haven't gone back to edit it since then, though I just did a quick reread and there are half a hundred things that need polish. The ending also needs to be about twice as long, but it's sort of a tricky thing because the opening sections are almost all talk and exposition of these impossible things, and it needs to transition into this war planning session type of thing if that's still something that I want to go with (which I probably do). Also, more foreshadowing. I'm planning to do all of the corrections in November and have the fixes in place by next Christmas season (when I figure people are more likely to read Christmas-themed stories).
>> 
>> \* *The Timewise Tales* is a story about people hopping backward and forward through time in pursuit of their goals. It's sort of about fate, destiny, and what to do when you know you can't change the future. I did a reread of it with some edits a few days ago to figure out which parts need to be shuffled around, which need to be rewritten, and which need to be scrapped. Depending on which of my current projects I decide to pick up and finish, it might be the next thing you see from me.

>>> **u/Nepene** [+4]  (2 days later)
>>> 
>>> Your flawed pieces are better than the majority of finished pieces so thank you for the awesome reads.
>>> 
>>> Making it even better will of course make next Christmas even more fun.

> **u/None** [+3]  (2 days later)
> 
> A incredible read ! Thanks again alexanderwales, big fan.
> That's what the movie Her should have been about, actually :)

> **u/Adamantium9001** [+1]  *United Federation of Planets* (5 hours later)
> 
> So...what did the last gift do? Very confused here.

>> **u/Zephyr1011** [+3]  *Potentially Unfriendly Aspiring Divinity* (7 hours later)
>> 
>> It did what he asked them to make for the little girl earlier. Perfect health, spreads to others etc

>>> **u/JackStargazer** [+4]  *Primordial Apologist* (a day later)
>>> 
>>> Maybe. It might have.
>>> 
>>> That's the point of the story. He got one shot at fixing everything, but we don't find out if it was successful or not. He made it a Von Neumann machine as well, so it either saves humanity or destroys it, and we never find out which.

>>>> **u/None** [+2]  (a day later)
>>>> 
>>>> TIL "von Neumann machine" refers both to computers that store data in the same medium they draw instructions from, and self-replicating machines. And I'm slightly annoyed at whoever decided on these names.

>>>>> **u/VorpalAuroch** [+2]  *Life before Death* (a day later)
>>>>> 
>>>>> The data/code-transparent machines are usually said to "have von Neumann architecture" or to be "von Neumann computers", when anyone talks about it. The self-replicators are 'von Neumann constructors' if you want to be unambiguous.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Also, who actually talks about von Neumann architecture as a separate thing? All modern computers have it, and with the possible exception of quantum machines, will have it for some time.

>>>>>> **u/FeepingCreature** [+2]  *GCV Literally The Entire Culture* (3 days later)
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Somebody needs to make a [self-replicating](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Von_Neumann_probe) [computer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Von_Neumann_architecture) whose core processor in some manner possesses a consistent [utility function](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Von_Neumann%E2%80%93Morgenstern_utility_theorem).

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