The Infinity Library
March 9, 2015 12:43 PM Subscribe
The Infinity Library. A short story about libraries, inspired by Discworld.
So much has been 'inspired' by Discworld. I'm looking at you, JK Rowling. But not too sternly, since you are a good egg.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 12:46 PM on March 9, 2015
posted by GallonOfAlan at 12:46 PM on March 9, 2015
Nice. There should be a shout out to Borges, though, too.
posted by yoink at 12:52 PM on March 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by yoink at 12:52 PM on March 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
...Inspired by Jorge Luis Borges, inspired by who knows.
posted by sukeban at 12:52 PM on March 9, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by sukeban at 12:52 PM on March 9, 2015 [5 favorites]
Jinx!
When you think about it, Metafilter is a kind of Borges library: as time extends forward, the probability that any string of letters that can be written will be written here approaches 1.
posted by yoink at 12:59 PM on March 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
When you think about it, Metafilter is a kind of Borges library: as time extends forward, the probability that any string of letters that can be written will be written here approaches 1.
posted by yoink at 12:59 PM on March 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
Are either of the other two librarians modeled after well-known fictional librarians? The description of the second one — "an old man with a huge white beard, skin as black as the night sky, and twinkling eyes" — seemed awfully specific.
posted by ubiquity at 1:02 PM on March 9, 2015
posted by ubiquity at 1:02 PM on March 9, 2015
Nyarlathotep.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 1:03 PM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by robocop is bleeding at 1:03 PM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
When you think about it, Metafilter is a kind of Borges library: as time extends forward, the probability that any string of letters that can be written will be written here approaches 1.
sd34kkav alkvljq34u9wjbfas 5jjgdfka32 who are you calling a monkey aojqbtn4sj kldsf
posted by D.C. at 1:09 PM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
sd34kkav alkvljq34u9wjbfas 5jjgdfka32 who are you calling a monkey aojqbtn4sj kldsf
posted by D.C. at 1:09 PM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
And my face is wet. Is there a leak in here?
posted by domo at 1:25 PM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by domo at 1:25 PM on March 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Thanos is at a table in the corner with a stack of PUA books.
posted by Sangermaine at 1:33 PM on March 9, 2015
posted by Sangermaine at 1:33 PM on March 9, 2015
Borges seems to have thought of the infinite library as an unbridled horror. A place of infinitely poor signal to noise ratio where any meaningful text would be buried under a mountain of random character strings.
This story and Diskworld tell us of an indefinite library where further exploration is always possible, and always rewarded, or punished in an interesting way.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 6:03 PM on March 9, 2015
This story and Diskworld tell us of an indefinite library where further exploration is always possible, and always rewarded, or punished in an interesting way.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 6:03 PM on March 9, 2015
When you think about it, Metafilter is a kind of Borges library: as time extends forward, the probability that any string of letters that can be written will be written here approaches 1.
I claim DREBNAR.
posted by JHarris at 6:08 PM on March 9, 2015
I claim DREBNAR.
posted by JHarris at 6:08 PM on March 9, 2015
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posted by schmod at 12:44 PM on March 9, 2015 [2 favorites]