Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

161–170 of 243 posts

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#161

Post by brokenmachine »

Normal_gaussian wrote: post #99
_audakel wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Medication like Zoloft helped a ton for me with these things

As a Brit, such statements just blow my mind. Giving a random stranger on the internet medical advice - and for a branded drug at that. "you may want to see a doctor, sometimes these things need medicated" seems like reasonable, responsible advice. But handing out specific drug recommendations - WTF?! I experienced the same thing when my American cousins were over last summer. Unsolicited and highly dangerous medical…

All he said was that it helped him...

Also I don't see why being a Brit would make a difference, I'm an Australian and hearing that a drug helped someone isn't that mindblowing to me.

On top of that, he'd have to convince a doctor to actually obtain the drug.

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#162

Post by Havoc »

Stoic teachings - when I'm facing dark times and feel I'm in dangerous territory psychologically...instinctively fall back of stoic mindsets in those situations. (e.g. "This too shall pass").

And yes I realise that quote isn't stoic per se - that's a simplified illustration of my point. Going into more detail - Meditations by M Aurelius.

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#163

Post by Camelman »

I left a job in the US after being tricked into joining an elaborate hoax in the Middle East (Doha Qatar to be specific.) They purported to do ML research, had a real office (incredible), high end equipment, even some former C-level CROs from US firms.

Once I moved over (after giving up my previous job, school districts, etc), it was clear the entire operation was a sham -- the $7Billion endowment was non-existent, most workers had side-jobs (during the day!) and there was no ML research at all to speak of.

I persevere knowing that the golden land called the United States of America still awaits me. Just need to wait out the schoolyear.

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#164

Post by babygoat »

kahrkunne wrote: post #74
aptidude187 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Admiring Donald Trump, that's depressing.

Not sure how admiring a man who made billions of dollars, build some fantastic property, became president of the United States, is a pretty good golf player, etc. is depressing. The man has achieved more than 99.99999% of people will ever achieve.

If you can't turn 8 figures into 9, you're an idiot. What has he ever done to help anyone with all his wealth and power?

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#165

Post by Mz »

I actually am very prone to taking "the easy way out" rather than suffering through adversity. People see me as suffering through a lot of adversity, and there are no doubt ways in which that is true. But it is almost always the path of least resistance that I seek, even though it frequently does not look that way to outsiders.

Life is hard enough without intentionally making it harder.

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#166

Post by [deleted] »

brokenmachine wrote: post #161
Normal_gaussian wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a Brit, such statements just blow my mind. Giving a random stranger on the internet medical advice - and for a branded drug at that. "you may want to see a doctor, sometimes these things need medicated" seems like reasonable, responsible advice. But handing out specific drug recommendations - WTF?! I experienced the same thing when my American cousins were over last summer. Unsolicited and highly dangerous medical…

All he said was that it helped him... Also I don't see why being a Brit would make a difference, I'm an Australian and hearing that a drug helped someone isn't that mindblowing to me. On top of that, he'd have to convince a doctor to actually obtain the drug.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#167

Post by Normal_gaussian »

brokenmachine wrote: post #161
Normal_gaussian wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a Brit, such statements just blow my mind. Giving a random stranger on the internet medical advice - and for a branded drug at that. "you may want to see a doctor, sometimes these things need medicated" seems like reasonable, responsible advice. But handing out specific drug recommendations - WTF?! I experienced the same thing when my American cousins were over last summer. Unsolicited and highly dangerous medical…

All he said was that it helped him... Also I don't see why being a Brit would make a difference, I'm an Australian and hearing that a drug helped someone isn't that mindblowing to me. On top of that, he'd have to convince a doctor to actually obtain the drug.

That was noted in the edit.

It just isn't the culture here to talk about specific medications. People are more likely to focus on the condition, and urge someone to go get checked out (often to 'demand a consultant' but I've never seen somebody explicitly or implicitly told to request a specific drug).

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#168

Post by mathgeek »

bogomipz wrote: post #83
mathgeek wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But of course the same sentiment can be generalized for any group. I wonder whether this is a fair statement, as the original quote can be interpreted to mean that the group in question has terrible efficiency and/or is unreliable until their hand is forced.

I just meant you can insert any group you were looking to make a back-handed compliment about.

I see. I interpreted your OC to say it was more positive.

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#169

Post by Normal_gaussian »

rosser wrote: post #120
Normal_gaussian wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a Brit, such statements just blow my mind. Giving a random stranger on the internet medical advice - and for a branded drug at that. "you may want to see a doctor, sometimes these things need medicated" seems like reasonable, responsible advice. But handing out specific drug recommendations - WTF?! I experienced the same thing when my American cousins were over last summer. Unsolicited and highly dangerous medical…

As you note in your edit, your comment's parent likely wasn't intended to be normative . It was instead, I think, intended to normalize psychiatric medication. I have a huge problem with the way some of these drugs are over-prescribed. But I have an even bigger problem with stigmatizing people who are availing themselves of a resource that might be of help to them.

Yes this is true. I don't see much stigma for people receiving medication, but there is a taboo here on your average Joe giving symptom->drug suggestions

Re: Ask HN: What inspires you to persevere through adversity?

#170

Post by dzink »

Having seen far worse adversity in the past, I see the opportunities I have today as a reward I should consume as thoroughly as possible. I've watched my parents struggle as entrepreneurs in the middle of rural Bulgaria. I worked my behind off to be able to excel in school, move to the US, learn how to build anything I want through tech, get my citizenship, move to Silicon Valley, build the relationships I have, and become financially independent enough to build things I know matter to the world. God knows what may happen tomorrow? Every single minute matters. Every single effort, and problem solved, and obstacle overcome, and person served, and relationship strengthened, and insight gained matter. If I can't work I will learn, if I can't learn I will sleep and recover my body, so I can work and learn better tomorrow. I've worked too hard to miss this moment.
Post reply on HN