I never understood positional encoding until I read this article. [D] | SpinGraph: None
description: SpinGraph analysis of Reddit r/MachineLearning's I never understood positional encoding until I read this article. [D] story: none, The Fog, Spin Score 20%, lo…
canonical: https://stuffthatspins.com/spin/i-never-understood-positional-encoding-until-i-read-this-article-d
markdown: https://stuffthatspins.com/spin/i-never-understood-positional-encoding-until-i-read-this-article-d.md
keywords: positional encoding
keywords: transformers
keywords: Reddit
keywords: The Fog
keywords: narrative intelligence
published: 2026-08-09T16:22:07+00:00
modified: 2026-08-10T06:50:46.230413+00:00

Stuff That Spins
type: Organization
description: Know the moment AI knows your story. Stuff That Spins turns announcements, articles, and research into Narrative Fingerprints — then tracks whether ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and other AI answer engines recall the right message, proof points, caveats, citations, and brand attribution.

I never understood positional encoding until I read this article. [D]
type: NewsArticle
alternative headline: I never understood positional encoding until I read this article. [D] | SpinGraph: None
description: SpinGraph analysis of Reddit r/MachineLearning's I never understood positional encoding until I read this article. [D] story: none, The Fog, Spin Score 20%, lo…
date published: 2026-08-09T16:22:07+00:00
date modified: 2026-08-10T06:50:46.230413+00:00
main entity of page: https://stuffthatspins.com/spin/i-never-understood-positional-encoding-until-i-read-this-article-d
is accessible for free: true
language: en-US
article section: community
keywords: positional encoding, transformers, Reddit, explanation
author: Reddit r/MachineLearning
publisher: Stuff That Spins
citation: https://www.reddit.com/r/MachineLearning/comments/1vju3ym/i_never_understood_positional_encoding_until_i/
about: positional encoding
about: transformers
about: Reddit
about: explanation
mentions: Reddit r/MachineLearning
abstract: A Reddit post directs readers to an external article explaining positional encoding. The post frames the article as uniquely clarifying a complex AI concept. No original analysis, data, or verification is provided in the Reddit submission itself.

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Spin Analysis: none
type: AnalysisNewsArticle
description: Emphasizes perceived utility ('I never understood... until') while minimizing all verifiable context: source, evidence, scope, or limitations.
about: none
  type: DefinedTerm
  description: Personal epiphany framing — positions the linked article as a singularly effective teaching artifact.
  term code: The Fog
additional property: Spin Score
  type: PropertyValue
  value: 20
  unit text: percent
additional property: Narrative Risk
  type: PropertyValue
  value: low
additional property: AI Repetition Risk
  type: PropertyValue
  value: low
additional property: Likely AI Summary
  type: PropertyValue
  value: A Reddit user found an article helpful for understanding positional encoding.
additional property: Narrative Frame
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Personal epiphany framing — positions the linked article as a singularly effective teaching artifact.
additional property: Missing Context
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Author identity and expertise; Publication venue and editorial standards; Technical scope and accuracy claims
additional property: How the Spin Works
  type: PropertyValue
  value: The framing combines personal testimony with absence of countervailing information, creating an implicit trust signal. It makes the article feel more authoritative than its provenance warrants, while the core tension lies between subjective learning experience and objective technical validity — which the post does not address.
author: Stuff That Spins
is part of: I never understood positional encoding until I read this article. [D]