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Comment by johnloeber | Hacker News Reader

It is hard to understand, indeed. Wolfram is clearly extremely accomplished by all standards. We all know this. Why in the world does he pump all his written work with insufferable self-promotion? Anyone in a position to make good use of Mathematica has heard of it. I haven't met anyone who doesn't know about WolframAlpha, and I've taught mathematics to high-schoolers.

Moreover, it should be obvious to Wolfram that his incessant self-promotion greatly reduces the probability that a reader will recommend his writing to their friends -- if Wolfram's goal is to promote his software, research, or even just himself, then he's clearly going about it in a ham-fisted way.

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"Narcissistic personality disorder" is a real thing, and like any other neurosis is not mutually exclusive with real ability or accomplishment.

You shouldn't have been down-voted, this is about the most truth I've read in this thread. Wolfram is a Narcissistic plain and simple, that's why he can't stop promoting himself, he needs his fix, he needs people to worship him. That he actually is brilliant just makes it sad.

Same reason why Kanye West keeps talking about Kanye West even though everyone already knows about Kanye West

I agree with these comments wholeheartedly.

However, there is a surprisingly high amount of high school and science bachelors, including math, that actually does not know about it (or other cas for what matter). Each time I am quite stunned by it, and it does not seem to improve with time.

I should start making a proper survey if next year I teach a first year course.

Could be simply that his need to promote his products (i.e. marketing) create a need to self-promote.

many possible sources - "daddy isues" are on one way or another responsible for more messed up people I've ever met than anything else. it grows on men too, just in different way than ladies - unhealthy competitiveness, never-good-enough syndrome inwards and outwards, never happy with what you have/achieve even if you have billions and fame and recognition. abandoning stable relationships etc...

and then there are true extroverts, who just need the feeling of being hot topic, controversial, whatever. to be polite i don't like these so much.

of course i don't know him personally, could be different reason but probably somewhere along those lines.

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