The unusually high number of comments and upvotes on this post might suggest that a lot of HN readers want to know it's okay if they don't get rich.
Hey, Guys, It's Totally Okay If You Don't Get Rich
221–230 of 230 posts
Re: Hey, Guys, It's Totally Okay If You Don't Get Rich
#222Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't care about my freedom being attractive. I want a certain level of material comfort without answering to anyone or reporting to a cubicle. Some drives derive from mating impulses, yes, but many derive from hating bullshit. Period.
The point is that we all consciously have reasons like what you're saying: independence, hating bullshit etc. However, all are motivated by hardwired goals of species survival. These base needs make us want to gain advantage in mating, but also in things like independence - which give us a higher likelihood of survival (i.e. controlling how to fulfill our base needs, reproduce, not be killed by others, etc.).
What is the species survival motivation of me enjoying Tolstoy, classic rock or scrabble? I'm sure you can come up with a retrofitted explanation to observation, but the point is you cannot reduce _every_ single human behavior and action to evolutionary impulses, at least not without a heavy amount of speculation. In many cases, we have to be honest enough to say we simply don't know.
Re: Hey, Guys, It's Totally Okay If You Don't Get Rich
#223Earlier quoted context omitted.
Evolution is not random - ask any biologist. Random mutations are actively selected for traits strongly favoring better species survival. While certainly not a panecea, such strong drives as success, power, etc. that we're discussing are in no way accidental such as optical illusions and the like. To make an argument like this is to misunderstand evolution entirely.
> Evolution is not random - ask any biologist. First you say this. Then you say this: > Random mutations are [...] See, you're arguing semantics. Yes, evolutionary pressures force natural selection, extracting order out of the fundamental randomness, but the mutations of evolution are random. My point is we don't know which pressures forced which particular traits, so to draw specific conclusions about modern behavio…
No - it's not semantics. Mutations are random, the process selecting which move on is not. If you're picking tomatoes, some will be rotten at random, you select ones that look tasty - that's random rottenness and active selection. Try this out:
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/chance/chance.html
Re: Hey, Guys, It's Totally Okay If You Don't Get Rich
#224Earlier quoted context omitted.
These have been some of my biggest disappointments in travelling. Globalization has made Europe look almost indistinguishable from the States in many ways. The week or two that a typical U.S. job allows you to spend abroad doesn't really accomplish much either. The real appeal of travel to me is to genuinely immerse myself in a different culture and live and see the world in a different way. This takes the kind of ti…
If you think Europe looks like the US, you're doing travel wrong.
He did mention he was traveling for work - business hotels, business districts, fancy lounges that the office takes you out to... those are incredibly similar no matter where you go.
I think that's part of the point - "real" traveling involves seeing the unique aspects of the place you're in. The nouveau riche jet-set lifestyle isn't really optimal for that (or maybe it's just sour grapes from me) :P
Re: Hey, Guys, It's Totally Okay If You Don't Get Rich
#225Earlier quoted context omitted.
"is that what freedom means? it sounds like you're condition of freedom is to have money, and its only freedom as long as you can pay for it. not really that free." I suppose I could live in a cardboard box on the side of the road and quit my job, but I don't think it would be a very nice existence. Having enough money to quit your job, buy a nice house, support a family, and travel is the ultimate freedom. You don't…
is that what freedom means? I'm halfway through Harry Browne's "How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World" (recommended by someone on HN) and he has an interesting definition of freedom. Freedom is spending more time seeking pleasure than avoiding pain. I'm paraphrasing, but I think that's the gist of his definition. Good book.
Awesome book!
Re: Hey, Guys, It's Totally Okay If You Don't Get Rich
#226Earlier quoted context omitted.
Hardly, if HN attracts its intended audience--people that are intellectually curious about everything.
I'm not sure that's the HN audience. I came here looking to get away from the childishness of reddit, yet have found a new (and, hitherto to me, unknown) brand of childishness: the entitled startup programmer. Reddit was primarily populated by high school/college kids, but it definitely had a significant population besides that. As far as I can tell, HN is much more of an extreme monoculture; and one I have to confes…
If the voting on your post is any indication, HNers are also eager to demonstrate their willingness to self-deprecate, even in total anonymity. Reddit also has this to a very high degree, but samples are rarer on HN so it is difficult to compare that aspect directly.
Re: Hey, Guys, It's Totally Okay If You Don't Get Rich
#227Bullshit. It's OK not to get rich, but it's not OK not to try.
Why do you think that?
Re: Hey, Guys, It's Totally Okay If You Don't Get Rich
#228she's neither male nor rich so her advice is bogus.
there are some things that are just true - all other things being equal women prefer men with money.
Even when all other things are not quite equal women prefer men with money.
here's a quick way to test it - list all the men she's ever dated/been in a relationship with and check on how many earned significantly less than her and how many earned significantly more.
This is the worst advice anyone could ever give anyone interested in doing a start-up. It's typical woman advice - they don't tell you what works - just something that'll make you feel it's OK to be a loser.
Re: Hey, Guys, It's Totally Okay If You Don't Get Rich
#229Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you think Europe looks like the US, you're doing travel wrong.
He did mention he was traveling for work - business hotels, business districts, fancy lounges that the office takes you out to... those are incredibly similar no matter where you go. I think that's part of the point - "real" traveling involves seeing the unique aspects of the place you're in. The nouveau riche jet-set lifestyle isn't really optimal for that (or maybe it's just sour grapes from me) :P
Exactly. I'd much prefer to spend at least a few months there, preferably with time to spend outside of a major city as well.
Re: Hey, Guys, It's Totally Okay If You Don't Get Rich
#230Earlier quoted context omitted.
"It's the Mexican fisherman story. Sacrifice your freedom and happiness so that you can get rich so that you can have freedom and happiness." and how do you suppose we do that? Freedom to me means: 1) not having to work for anyone 2) having enough time to do what I want 3) traveling around the world You need money to do all of these. To get money, you need to create something that people are willing to pay for, which…
Sounds like you've never tried this freedom that you speak of. I've been doing the 3 things on your list for the better part of 10 years now, and I've never been wealthy. 3. Living on the road is no more expensive than living anywhere else. Less usually, since there's no rent or car payment involved. I can live large in Thailand for $500/month. 2. Living on the beach, I once calculated that I needed to bill one day p…
If you don't mind me asking, what sort of short contract do you take? How do you get them (advertised jobs, through contacts)?