It's not just a good idea, it's the law

Periodically, browsing the interwebz, I stumble across an interesting "law".  Usually relating to some effect or another, but always (if I find them interesting) synopsizing something that makes sense to me.  The problem I run into, with my defective memory, is that I think "that's interesting" and then it goes away until I run into another reference, at which point I think "oh, I was going to remember that".  I need a blog post where I can keep them all, but that's not really how blog posts work.  Well, maybe I'll cut and paste into a new post every time I discover a new law.

Doing a little digging I also discovered that these used to be known as "usenet adages" from the time prior to the internet as we know it.  I remember usenets.  They weren't as fun as they sound.  Maybe I'll devote a post to that some day.

Latest entries:

Poe's Law:

without a clear indicator of the author's intent, it is impossible to create a parody of extreme views so obviously exaggerated that it cannot be mistaken by some readers for a sincere expression of the parodied views.

This one relates well to my on-going frustration with discussion on the internet.  Someone makes a joke, doesn't clearly mark it as a joke, and panties twist.


Godwin's Law:

As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1.

 Funny but increasingly true.  Godwin's Law also includes the observation that once this happens, the discussion is effectively over, therefore all discussion have a finite lifespan.  You don't see it so much on discussion as to whether a bypass oil filter is really necessary on a diesel pickup truck, of course.


Goodhart's Law:

When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.

In education, also known as "teaching to the test".  Students need to know certain things, therefore we will test them in order to ensure they learned those things, we will rate the teachers and schools based on their test results to ensure that poor schools have an incentive to improve,  therefore teachers will review those things right before test day so that students will do better and the teachers will be seen as doing a good job.

I'm sure I'll remember or stumble across others but if you have one that is interesting, drop me a comment and I may add it if I also consider it interesting.