Ask HN: What is your favorite motto? • Hacker News Board

Jugurtha wrote: post #9

Ad augusta per angusta. Ars longa, vita brevis. We had a dictionary, Petit Larousse 1989, and I used to read it a lot, learning new words and their origins. It was the equivalent of a Wikipedia rabbit hole. There was a pink section in the middle that contained many latin phrases. I loved reading those as a child and they stayed with me.

https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/per_angusta_ad_augusta

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars_longa,_vita_brevis

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite motto?

#15

Post by sneak » Thu, Sep 10, 2020, 9:53 PM UTC

Si vis pacem, para bellum.

I like it because it has wide applicability outside of literal violence; all of life is a struggle, and the more prepared for that one is, the easier life can be made.

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite motto?

#16

Post by ilovetux » Thu, Sep 10, 2020, 9:56 PM UTC

He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite motto?

#17

Post by DoreenMichele » Thu, Sep 10, 2020, 9:56 PM UTC

Make love, not war. as a rule of thumb for social stuff.

When I was raising my kids, I went by the rule of thumb "All is fair in love and war -- and this is love." to justify making up our own rules for games (like "youngest goes first") and generally making life more pleasant, and to hell with what other people thought we should be doing as a family.

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite motto?

#18

Post by Dannymetconan » Thu, Sep 10, 2020, 10:00 PM UTC

"Sure it'll be grand"

Because to be fair it normally will be so no point stressing about it.

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite motto?

#19

Post by superhuzza » Thu, Sep 10, 2020, 10:03 PM UTC

andrzeej wrote: post #11

Do it right, first fucking time.

Kind of surprising to hear this on a website that largely talks about software.

Has any software ever been "right" the first time? I'm not sure.

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite motto?

#20

Post by superhuzza » Thu, Sep 10, 2020, 10:08 PM UTC

"This too shall pass."

Sure, it's kind of cheesy. But it has so many meanings. The bad and sad times will eventually pass, so take it in stride. The good times will pass too, so enjoy them while they're here. You won't always be the person you are now, and neither will others.

It seems to give some additional perspective when applied to any situation.