the sham legacy of Richard Feynman
the sham legacy of Richard Feynman on HackerTube: recommended by 5 Hacker News commenters across 3 separate months, 2024–2025.
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.
What HN commenters said
9 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.
artifact_44Feb 2025Strongly recommends
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
in “Richard Feynman's blackboard at the time of his death (1988)” · View on HN
renhanxueJun 2025Recommends
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
in “What Problems to Solve (1966)” · View on HN
tovejFeb 2025Recommends
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".
in “Richard Feynman's blackboard at the time of his death (1988)” · View on HN
hughesjjDec 2024Recommends
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
in “Fermat's Last Theorem – how it’s going” · View on HN
blackenedgemDec 2024Recommends
You may want to watch this if Surely You're Joking read years ago is your main reference point: ▶ this video
in “Fermat's Last Theorem – how it’s going” · View on HN
bsolesDec 2025Cites it
Angela Collier has a 3-hour video on the topic (The Sham Legacy of Richard Feynman: ▶ this video ) with funny takes and criticism. It has been a while, so I cannot remember if she was criticizing Feynman himself to some extent or how his legacy is being portrayed by the media. In the latter case, I am also a bit annoyed how he is constantly portrayed as some kind of a super star by American media, where the rest of the world does not really care that much.
in “Feynman's Hughes Lectures: 950 pages of notes” · View on HN
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gitremoteFeb 2025Cites it
"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
in “Richard Feynman's blackboard at the time of his death (1988)” · View on HN
mateus1Jan 2025Cites it
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
in “Walter Isaacson: My So-Called Writing Life (2014)” · View on HN
ivansavzNov 2024Cites it
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
in “Ask HN: What were the best books you read this year?” · View on HN