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

Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

tranquilmonkey.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 265 posts

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#41

Post by terryf »

noobermin wrote: post #35
terryf wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a finite physical universe, nothing has intrinsic meaning. The only meaning anything has, is the meaning that you attribute to that thing. Thus, anything that is meaningful to you, is the most meaningful thing in the universe. No goal is better than any other, because there is no universally defined "better", everything just "is". Therefore, you are free to say that the goal you have chosen is better than any othe…

>In a finite physical universe I am pretty existential too, so I agree with you generally...but I'm not sure what this clause has to do with the rest of what you said.

- finite: Infinity is weird. It's very hard to make arguments that hold when infinite resources are in the picture. Finite also includes the time dimension. If you have infinite time and/or space, intrinsic meaning may be possible, but I really have no idea.

- physical: That there is no other plane of existence to progress towards, heaven or enlightenment or anything else similar to those.

- universe: Whatever it is that we inhabit - multiverse, universe, inside of a black hole, we're not quite sure yet as far as I understand the physics (which isn't very far at all unfortunately. It is fascinating though)

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#42

Post by thatcat »

jomamaxx wrote: post #20
Fezzik wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Said slightly differently: "If you end up with a boring miserable life because you listened to your mom, your dad, your teacher, your priest, or some guy on television telling you how to do your shit, then you deserve it." - Frank Zappa

Zappa preacher saying 'don't follow anyone's advice except mine'? It's definitely fair to remind people that they have options, but most people want stability, family, to watch the game, enjoy the sunset, and derive little joy from shaking things up and wagging it in other people's faces. Moreover - most people recognize that life is just as much a responsibility as it is an opportunity. The 'Rock N Roll' movement wa…

Zappa didn't trash hotel rooms or have outrageous parties, he made art and had a family. The self actualization was making that art into a life that paid the bills and fulfilled the rest of the responsibilities that everyone experiences.

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#43

Post by AndrewKemendo »

jknoepfler wrote: post #32
AndrewKemendo wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's more of a neurotic addictive compulsion and ego seeking behavior than something that is desirable as a sense of fulfillment. These neurotic addictive behaviors (checking social sites, compulsively reading random things, chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol, sleeping) dominate most of my non-mandatory, un-allocated time. Everything else is just a yawning void of nothing, including my wife and 3 kids. Not for lack of…

Try getting good at something you're bad at, like, for example, appreciating your life and the lives of those around you. "Yawning void of nothing" is a pretty hilariously inaccurate description of a family and all the life experiences you describe. I would experiment with the hypothesis that perceiving value and experiencing it as such are skills you lack but others possess, that may be improved through deliberate p…

I would experiment with the hypothesis that perceiving value and experiencing it as such are skills you lack but others possess

No experimentation necessary, it's blatantly clear that's the case.

that may be improved through deliberate practice

Perhaps. Or maybe it's just trying to distract yourself from reality through what are commonly accepted "values." Hard to know. I read all those studies about "happiness" coming from great relationships, and family etc...

None of them question why happiness is a virtue - it's as though it's implied that hedonism qua epicureanism is preferential. That's what I can't get past.

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#44

Post by et-al »

SCAQTony wrote: post #19
amist wrote: post #8

I prefer Mike Rowe's opinion on that subject. http://youtu.be/CVEuPmVAb8o

Ironic that he became an opera singer and a TV host which is just the sort of occupations he was slamming people for pursuing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Rowe#Early_life

Perhaps in hopes they won't follow his mistakes? Also, in that Wikipedia article, he's quoted to have sang in the opera to meet women.

> "I joined the opera to get my union card and meet girls. I was a saloon singer, so I went down to the Baltimore Opera and learned an aria and auditioned. I figured I'd do one show and quit. But the girls were everywhere and the truth is, the music was really decent."

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#45

Post by AndrewKemendo »

MrQuincle wrote: post #30
AndrewKemendo wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's more of a neurotic addictive compulsion and ego seeking behavior than something that is desirable as a sense of fulfillment. These neurotic addictive behaviors (checking social sites, compulsively reading random things, chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol, sleeping) dominate most of my non-mandatory, un-allocated time. Everything else is just a yawning void of nothing, including my wife and 3 kids. Not for lack of…

Thanks for your honesty. If you would take some time and explain what it is that attracts you in Camus writings, maybe I'll understand you better.

Simply the idea that in the absence of universal meaning, it is the individual that must create meaning. It's along the same idea of what Thompson is writing about.

The downside of this approach is if the firmament for what you created meaning from crumbles or never really materializes, leaving a void.

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#46

Post by AndrewKemendo »

terryf wrote: post #33
AndrewKemendo wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At a certain point you realize that experiences and stuff are equally as meaningless in the end.

In a finite physical universe, nothing has intrinsic meaning. The only meaning anything has, is the meaning that you attribute to that thing. Thus, anything that is meaningful to you, is the most meaningful thing in the universe. No goal is better than any other, because there is no universally defined "better", everything just "is". Therefore, you are free to say that the goal you have chosen is better than any othe…

I agree in principal, Hence, why I suggested Camus in my original comment.

But what happens when you can't attribute meaning to anything? Do you revert to religion or suicide (Those were the three options for camus)?

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#47

Post by oasisbob »

I'm away from my well annotated copy* of _The Proud Gentleman_ but this letter has almost certainly come from that collection. It makes more sense in context of his other writings from the time.

Another quote, from the same, which I remember as vividly as (and juxtaposed with) this letter:

"Everybody is looking for someone who can stand up in the wind. It is lonely standing up and crowded lying down. I refuse to be an anchor for other people’s dreams—but then I refuse to anchor mine to anyone else."

* I wish my younger self knew the risk of loaning such a loved and personal book

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#48

Post by AndrewKemendo »

noobermin wrote: post #34
AndrewKemendo wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At a certain point you realize that experiences and stuff are equally as meaningless in the end.

terryf has a fantastic comment, but what end are you talking about, death? A good way of figuring out what you value is considering if you die tomorrow, why wouldn't you (assuming you aren't suicidal). If you really don't matter either way then why not just do the thing that feels good?

Well that's essentially what I do - with an over current of dread.

I think if I could afford it I would probably be a habitual heroin user. From what I read, it seems to push all of the same biochemical "happiness" and "fulfillment" buttons as all of the other relationship/activity/experience things that people like to do, albeit with some side effects.

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#49

Post by nazgob »

AndrewKemendo wrote: post #28
reddytowns wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you might want to step back and ask yourself what you expect life to offer you and if those expectations are too high. Sounds like a great life, and you seem to be letting the beautiful things slip through the cracks, because you're judging them not good enough .

At a certain point you realize that experiences and stuff are equally as meaningless in the end.

Could you elaborate? I'm in a place where stuff does not matter anymore (never did actually) and I try to focus on experiences. Is that path also a mistake?

Re: Hunter S. Thompson on Finding Your Purpose (1958)

#50

Post by et-al »

AndrewKemendo wrote: post #21
toomim wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you not desire to write this comment?

It's more of a neurotic addictive compulsion and ego seeking behavior than something that is desirable as a sense of fulfillment. These neurotic addictive behaviors (checking social sites, compulsively reading random things, chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol, sleeping) dominate most of my non-mandatory, un-allocated time. Everything else is just a yawning void of nothing, including my wife and 3 kids. Not for lack of…

> Open Water SCUBA License, Private Pilots License, Skydiving license, Hit 100 some odd countries traveling, Competitively Cycled/Ran etc...

Genuinely curious: why did you pursue those things listed, and did you enjoy them? Or was it to check a ticklist?

Also, I've assumed you've been on a sex binge before? Nothing came out of that?

Post reply on HN