the sham legacy of Richard Feynman
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN recommends it as a sobering counterpoint to the Feynman myth for people whose view comes from Surely You're Joking.
What it is
Physicist Angela Collier's nearly three-hour critique of Richard Feynman's public legacy. She examines how his books, written with Ralph Leighton, shaped a mythologized great-man image, and covers his personal behavior.
Recommended by 5 HN commenters across 3 different months, 2024 to 2025.
What Hacker News said
Strong rec artifact_44 · 2025-02 · on “Richard Feynman's blackboard at the time of his death (1988)”
Because she thoroughly de-articulates the fabricated mystique around Feynman, and openly discusses the toxic effect his legacy has had on science. (Including the fact that a lot of his legacy was fabricated by people that either admired him, or wished to capitalize on that legacy.) Her video on Feynman is long and detailed, and very sobering. I highly recommend it. It absolutely/expertly challenged everything I thought I knew about him. [this video]
Recommends hughesjj · 2024-12 · on “Fermat's Last Theorem – how it’s going”
I'd be careful taking anything from "surely you're joking" as a fact btw. There's a good popsci comms video on why here [this video]
Recommends blackenedgem · 2024-12 · on “Fermat's Last Theorem – how it’s going”
You may want to watch this if Surely You're Joking read years ago is your main reference point: [this video]
Recommends tovej · 2025-02 · on “Richard Feynman's blackboard at the time of his death (1988)”
He hasn't written a single book (surprising I know), I assume you're talking about "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman", which contains exaggerated anecdotes designed to make Feynman look like a hero. That one was written by a fanboy (Ralph Leighton) based on stories that Feynman told him, which have been revealed to be either fake or exaggerations (they found notes in his office of him writing and rewriting these hero stories). It's a terrible book, in my opinion. If you want to know why, Angela Collier says it better and in more detail than I could: [this video] Is that the video you're referring to? Watch the video and I think you'll see why he is "getting a bad rep these days".
Recommends renhanxue · 2025-06 · on “What Problems to Solve (1966)”
Astrophysicist Angela Collier's video essay "the sham legacy of Richard Feynman" [0] is a good introduction. Her accounts of her own encounters with "Feynman bros" are heart-wrenching. [0] [this video]
Cites ivansavz · 2024-11 · on “Ask HN: What were the best books you read this year?”
I recently learned[1] that he didn't write this book. He was telling stories to Ralph Leighton, who then wrote the books, and there is reason to believe many of the stories were embellished/enhanced. I'm kind of disappointed now that he didn't write the book himself, but I remember enjoying it when I read it as an undergrad. [1] [this video]
Cites mateus1 · 2025-01 · on “Walter Isaacson: My So-Called Writing Life (2014)”
This Angela Collier’s video about Feynman’s legacy also furthers yours point. He is an engaging and prolific writer but he does lean too much into the “great man-myth” figure of his subjects while underreporting their flaws. [this video]
Cites gitremote · 2025-02 · on “Richard Feynman's blackboard at the time of his death (1988)”
"the sham legacy of Richard Feynman" is about Feynman being famous because of this book rather than because of his physics. The YouTuber, an obsessed physicist who had spent months reading all Feynman books, provides a critical analysis and explains the cultural impact of "Surely You're Joking, Mr.Feynman!" [this video]