News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Steve Wozniak: Life to me was never about accomplishment, but about Happiness. Parent comment

Re:Steve Wozniak: Life to me was never about accomplishment,... by bodge5000 on Thursday August 14, 2025 @07:13PM (#44906829)
Unfortunately it's this attitude which perpetuates those kinds of actions. Of course it never starts off that way, it starts off as just wanting to protect yourself from harm, but you can eventually justify just about anything with the argument that its necessary for your "survival" (not literal survival, of course, but you get the idea).

"If I don't exploit this person's kindness now, I'll fall behind those who do and they'll use that leverage against me" gives you some idea

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Steve Wozniak: Life to me was never about accomplishment,... by glitchc on Thursday August 14, 2025 @07:47PM (#44907067)
Actually everyone starts off kind. That many people ends up that way speaks to the core of the human condition.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Steve Wozniak: Life to me was never about accomplishment,... by bodge5000 on Thursday August 14, 2025 @10:40PM (#44908051)
Sorry, by "it doesnt start off that way" I didn't mean that people don't start off kind, I meant that people don't start off excusing exploitation
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Steve Wozniak: Life to me was never about accomplishment,... by pbhjpbhj on Friday August 15, 2025 @04:55AM (#44910073)
How so? Babies will bite their mothers trying to get food - it's instinctive, but it's not kind. Kindness needs to be taught despite any natural propensity towards it.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Steve Wozniak: Life to me was never about accomplishment,... by NalNezumi on Friday August 15, 2025 @05:28AM (#44910265)
>Actually everyone starts off kind

You only need to hang around toddlers or teens for less than a day to realize people do not start off kind.

People start off egocentric. Unaware or unable to take in to account the people around them are individuals with conflicting wants to you. Also unaware that we are egocentric BUT with social instinct built in to us: if we are surrounded by miserable people, or people angry at us, we don't feel good either.

So we learn that kindness, while sometimes initially painful or less opportunistic, in the long term leads to satisfaction.

[ Parent | on HN ]