>if I went off on a rant about how that's a stupid model, it probably can't do any math, and that you're insane for having it... that rant would reflect more poorly on me than on the owner of the model. //
But, presumably you're not going "hey have you seen my supercomputer" and showing people a picture of your blinken-light toy on social media?
The relationship people assume to have with celebrities, actors in particular, seems different to that they share with mementos/trinkets. At no point does the person think the Cray is the real thing, but people do seem to think - at some level - they know an actor because they've seen the character the actor helps to construct on screen.
Everyone (adult) knows a person paid for the video with the Happy Birthday greeting, but still at some level there's social credit, which suggests we choose to accept the lie.
I like your analogy, and will reflect on it some more (thanks!), but at the moment it still feels like there are fundamental differences between these situations (and that's where the interest lies).
Touché :)
But, presumably you're not going "hey have you seen my supercomputer" and showing people a picture of your blinken-light toy on social media?
The relationship people assume to have with celebrities, actors in particular, seems different to that they share with mementos/trinkets. At no point does the person think the Cray is the real thing, but people do seem to think - at some level - they know an actor because they've seen the character the actor helps to construct on screen.
Everyone (adult) knows a person paid for the video with the Happy Birthday greeting, but still at some level there's social credit, which suggests we choose to accept the lie.
I like your analogy, and will reflect on it some more (thanks!), but at the moment it still feels like there are fundamental differences between these situations (and that's where the interest lies).