Re:Why Do I Exist?
by approxim8ion on Friday April 02, 2021 @02:49PM
(#26674595)
I think the takeaway here is that you can choose to go away if you have the option and the privilege to do so. No one will hold it against you and those who do will be gone around the same time you will, give or take a few years. But you don't leave things in more capable hands. The people you idolize exist and are doing what they're doing irrespective of you. Their motivations are their own, however. There's no guarantee that they are willing to or interested in solving the problems you want to solve or see solved. There's no guarantee they even view them as problems. On this ship I think we can do with all hands on deck, but that is me being optimistic and looking for reasons to hold on just as much as you.
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Re:Why Do I Exist?
by spiritplumber on Friday April 02, 2021 @03:16PM
(#26674918)
I do not idolize Elon Musk and I definitely do not idolize Mitch McConnel. I acknowledge that they have vastly more power than I do. In Musk's case, specifically, he has been doing most of the stuff I've been doing, only better (I doubt he writes intentionally cheesy sci-fi, or designs free board games). I don't think I can cope with that.
Re:Why Do I Exist?
by AnimalMuppet on Friday April 02, 2021 @03:50PM
(#26675239)
You can't be a better Elon Musk than Elon Musk. Don't try.
But Elon Musk can't be a better you than you are, either. OK, there's some overlap. Be you anyway - all of you, the parts that overlap and the parts that don't. You can't do what Musk is doing in rockets? OK. Don't give up in despair. Especially don't give up on all of you because someone is doing what a part of you wanted to do. Take that part of you and find a worthwhile place to use it.
Re:Why Do I Exist?
by spiritplumber on Friday April 02, 2021 @07:21PM
(#26676930)
OK, but objectively, he's succeeding at being a better me than I am.
No, he really isn't. Last I checked you're not into exporting a million slaves to mars and then blockading the earth with space junk. I hope?
Re:Why Do I Exist?
by spiritplumber on Saturday April 03, 2021 @07:02PM
(#26685515)
Tempting, but I don't think I'm sufficiently ruthless to actually go thru with it. I think me going overboard on generosity in the past has shown that.
Anyway, I clearly don't have the right skill set :)
Re:Why Do I Exist?
by approxim8ion on Saturday April 03, 2021 @08:29AM
(#26680519)
There's enough things to do for it not to be a hindrance, imo.
Re:Why Do I Exist?
by spiritplumber on Saturday April 03, 2021 @07:02PM
(#26685518)
How do you mean? Who/what is "it" in your sentence?
Re:Why Do I Exist?
by approxim8ion on Sunday April 04, 2021 @03:14PM
(#26692039)
"It" being the things Elon or whoever else is doing better than you at the moment. There is a finite set of things they can do, and an even smaller subset that they are interested in doing, and an EVEN smaller subset of that that they would end up doing in their lifetimes. The set of problems that humanity is facing seems much larger to me, and I would assume it's just a matter of either putting your weight behind something you care about as you have been doing, because every worthy cause can do with as much support as it gets, or you find something more niche that others haven't thrown their weight behind for example.
Re:Why Do I Exist?
by spiritplumber on Thursday April 15, 2021 @03:10PM
(#26824880)
Thank you! I tried to help with OSMS last year. It felt unsatisfying. I'd turn stuff in, send out new designs, and people would thank Gui. Gui's a good guy but this made me like him less, although I'm rational enough to know that it's not his fault.