Ask HN: In these uncertain times, how do you handle anxiousness • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: In these uncertain times, how do you handle anxiousness

#151

Post by Comevius » Sat, Jun 18, 2022, 9:34 AM UTC

systemvoltage wrote: post #138

Comevius wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not an expert in climate change, but I read a lot of science paper (mostly cryptography and behavior science) and I understand how science works. I understand it's process, it's limitations. I also see the writing on the wall. I don't like it, I'm not enthusiastic about it, I don't place blind trust in it. It's there, whether I like it or not. There are a lot of uncertainties about the details, but the big pictur…

I agree with you about the first paragraph. Do you think we need more Climate skeptics especially when there is a severe lack of them, and when there is an excessive dogmatism – i.e., you cannot challenge the status quo with the best of intentions and using the same materials/sources, there is a cultural pressure to conform and there is a dire need for strong arming climate catastrophy and apocolyptic motifs? I hope…

Science is models of reality. As we gain more understanding we increase the precision of our models. When we do the previous models don't become invalid, like Newton's laws of motions are not invalid because of quantum physics, indeed they are considered an approximation to it.

The same goes for climate science, our models are increasing in precision. The social pressure is however in the opposite direction than you think. Nobody wants to be seen as crazy, and there is a pressure from the institutions to tone it down. Often the most conservative models are presented as plausible, selected by how actionable they are. Even the plausible models are unpleasant, not because scientists are crazy, but because the situation is that bad, and potentially much worst. Whether it's fixable, or can only be mitigated, or we can only try to adapt, it doesn't matter because we are not doing any of it. We are banking in everything turning out just fine, even if we continue pumping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere indiscriminately. This behavior is a suicidal one.

What social pressure would exist to deal with the problem head-on anyway, we don't work like that.

The real power is not being dogmatically sceptical, it's evaluation. Thinking about things and their relationships. There is a difference between poking holes, and throwing the whole tapestry away for the sake of being sceptical.

Re: Ask HN: In these uncertain times, how do you handle anxiousness

#152

Post by mdp2021 » Sat, Jun 18, 2022, 10:34 PM UTC

2000UltraDeluxe wrote: post #150

mdp2021 wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's not a bad concept What an extreme understatement! (Graham Chapman: "It's a good idea, O Lord!") ...It is part of a tradition. Anyway, you seem to be using that idea on an odd interpretation. Have you taken it to be, "live simply"? That would be part of the recipe, but the actor should first (or parallely) learn to approach matters accordingly. And this is where the submitter shows difficulties. This is why I s…

My take on it is that everything doesn't have to be running at peak efficiency just so that we can maximize our time spent consuming. It doesn't have to be actual woodchopping. The OP mentions Netflix but also that hobbies feel like a waste of time. I'd go as far as to claim Netflix is a waste of time while a hobby that leaves you happier isn't. Edit: for the record, actual wood chopping is a very rewarding task. It'…

You must have heard that phrase decontextualized: it is a formula used for something very different.

Re: Ask HN: In these uncertain times, how do you handle anxiousness

#153

Post by rrrodia » Sun, Jun 19, 2022, 8:07 AM UTC

Look into cognitive therapy / rebt, go see a therapist, and read up on it yourself. You can see it as a valuable activity both on a personal level, for your future and your family, as for your professional future. So appreciate working on that aspect of life! (ask for a certification from your therapist, jk :P)

Because it seems like you need to reframe things. There is enough uncertainty in the world as it is. You are doing a commendable job it seems for yourself and your family, but you can't control everything. A little less thinking in opposites would go a long way. You seem to be chasing certainty.

Why not allocate some time to work on a social cause? Don't worry about optimization, just start with doing something. Also nothing wrong with 'just' taking care of your own family, they are an important part of this world too!

Re: Ask HN: In these uncertain times, how do you handle anxiousness

#154

Post by systemvoltage » Sun, Jun 19, 2022, 11:57 PM UTC

Comevius wrote: post #151

systemvoltage wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with you about the first paragraph. Do you think we need more Climate skeptics especially when there is a severe lack of them, and when there is an excessive dogmatism – i.e., you cannot challenge the status quo with the best of intentions and using the same materials/sources, there is a cultural pressure to conform and there is a dire need for strong arming climate catastrophy and apocolyptic motifs? I hope…

Science is models of reality. As we gain more understanding we increase the precision of our models. When we do the previous models don't become invalid, like Newton's laws of motions are not invalid because of quantum physics, indeed they are considered an approximation to it. The same goes for climate science, our models are increasing in precision. The social pressure is however in the opposite direction than you…

Thanks for a good discussion.

Re: Ask HN: In these uncertain times, how do you handle anxiousness

#155

Post by 2000UltraDeluxe » Mon, Jun 20, 2022, 6:48 AM UTC

mdp2021 wrote: post #152

2000UltraDeluxe wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My take on it is that everything doesn't have to be running at peak efficiency just so that we can maximize our time spent consuming. It doesn't have to be actual woodchopping. The OP mentions Netflix but also that hobbies feel like a waste of time. I'd go as far as to claim Netflix is a waste of time while a hobby that leaves you happier isn't. Edit: for the record, actual wood chopping is a very rewarding task. It'…

You must have heard that phrase decontextualized: it is a formula used for something very different.

Either that, or from someone else who also mis-interpreted it. Feel free to elaborate! :)

Re: Ask HN: In these uncertain times, how do you handle anxiousness

#156

Post by mdp2021 » Mon, Jun 20, 2022, 7:21 AM UTC

2000UltraDeluxe wrote: post #155

mdp2021 wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You must have heard that phrase decontextualized: it is a formula used for something very different.

Either that, or from someone else who also mis-interpreted it. Feel free to elaborate! :)

No, when I say "used", I mean by non-laymen - speakers close to its source use it for something very different. (The actual context is not a matter fitting for this discussion.)

Re: Ask HN: In these uncertain times, how do you handle anxiousness

#157

Post by piva00 » Mon, Jun 20, 2022, 9:22 AM UTC

rdsubhas wrote: post #109

Hey there. I know exactly what you mean and why you are going through this. This is the fate of very talented AND moral/just/fair people – who work in a social environment where there is no social equality. For reference: I worked in India where the average monthly salary is much lower than what you said. Curse of being talented/rewarded, when you walk/bike through the streets where everyone is struggling to live, an…

I wanted to chime in as I relate a lot to your points but coming from the other side of the globe: Brazil.

I grew up in a lower middle class family, which in Brazil means that we had enough money to not get desperate about feeding our family and having a roof over our heads. No other luxuries, we never travelled as a family, my parents never really took vacations, etc. Still, it was a pretty comfortable life compared to the really poor people (50+% of society). I was just lucky to have programming as a hobby since I was a kid and lucking out getting a job early in life (15-16 years old).

I feel so much better living in Sweden while donating to good charity projects in Brazil, helping my family however I can financially and living a decent life, seeing my tax money being well invested in public goods, etc.

I absolutely support all of your points, they helped me fight this inner struggle of not feeling I deserved to be so well paid in a society that is generally so poor. I felt guilty a lot of times and at the same time frustrated with so many aspects of Brazilian society, I had to move out.

Re: Ask HN: In these uncertain times, how do you handle anxiousness

#158

Post by AndrewVos » Thu, Jun 23, 2022, 4:18 PM UTC

freedom2099 wrote: post #137

AndrewVos wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know you might mean well, but this isn't a nice response to someone asking for help. You're effectively saying "you don't have any problems". It's an abusive tactic in relationships.

No, it’s not saying that he hasn’t problems… it’s putting this problem in the right perspective! Instead of seeing how bad the world is let’s focus on how much it did improve!

That's literally the same thing!