371–380 of 460 posts
I saw some mentionings of philosophers. I would love to read what philosophers said about "regret". Does somebody have a list of books or sources to read about this subject?
One EA affiliated organization 80000hours.org focuses on the question on “how to do the most good with your career?” and seems especially relevant to your question. There is a lot of insightful material on career choice in general (e.g., thinks to think about) but also concrete guidance in the form of cause profiles.
In the end, finding a path that’s right for you is always challenging and you shouldn’t discount things like motivation and comparative advantage if you are trying to have an impact. 80000hours.org may provide somewhat personalized coaching and recommendations if you send them a mail and explain your situation. But just reading the materials on that site should give you a great starting point to make informed decisions without the fear of doing the wrong thing. You can hardly do more than try to get the best evidence and make an informed decision after all!
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Anyone can probably reach the top 5% in most non-athletic areas given enough time. At any given time, only the 5% of the population can reach the top 5% in any area. If anybody could do it and e.g. just 10% did it, then there would be a new 5% (the top 50% of that 10%), and the rest 50% wouldn't be in. > Thus, I'm a big fan of Peter Theils advice to work on things that satisfy the property that: "if you weren't wor…
Just because something is social signaling (which it undoubtedly is in Theils case), doesn't mean it isn't true, and that you shouldn't follow the advice.
If anything, it gives him a motive to say it (virtue signal) which is not "to tell the truth".
So, the advice might very well be true and we should very well follow it. But thus far we have absolutely no arguments as to if that's the case.
I want to be careful with this decision, to avoid any future regrets Don't forget to consider that you may regret whatever you do - by human nature, the grass is proverbially always greener on the other side. People who have kids may wish they hadn't, but if they hadn't, they may have regretted that - in both cases thinking they'd made the wrong choice. Socrates and Kierkegaard, among others, discussed this as a basi…
I'm all for egalitarianism in the public sphere, but in private I still believe that there's such a thing as natural born talent. Anyone can probably reach the top 5% in most non-athletic areas given enough time. But if your goal is to maximize your output having already accepted that your time on earth is limited, then the wise thing is to probably steer in directions that have high impact but for you feel dispropor…
> Anyone can probably reach the top 5% in most non-athletic areas given enough time. I seriously doubt that. People who have no aptitude in a field, even if they are dedicated, will be competing vs people who are also dedicated, but have the aptitude. I'd say maybe that "almost anyone can reach top 50% of most non-athletic fields", but definitely not top 5%.
How about you develop some sort of portable energy system for remote hospitals that includes an AI diagnostic system.
The focus should not be on "what," but on "why." I just got this advice the other day and it's liberated my thinking. I was (am) stuck in a rut believing that if I just find something I am passionate about it would alleviate the sense of purposelessness that pervades. Not so. Some people can work just for material benefit to themselves and their families. However, eventually that juice runs out because money is just…
Do you have a source for this? Thank you.
"It is very hard to find an unselfish person who is depressed, unsure about what to do or unhappy in general."
That depression and unhappiness are more difficult to spot in people who are selfless does not necessarily mean that those people are significantly happier and less depressed - it could only mean that they care more about how others perceive them and may, therefore, be more likely to hide their true affect.
I want to be careful with this decision, to avoid any future regrets Don't forget to consider that you may regret whatever you do - by human nature, the grass is proverbially always greener on the other side. People who have kids may wish they hadn't, but if they hadn't, they may have regretted that - in both cases thinking they'd made the wrong choice. Socrates and Kierkegaard, among others, discussed this as a basi…
> Hang yourself or do not hang yourself, you will regret it either way How does one regret hanging himself?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Some people can work just for material benefit to themselves and their families. However, eventually that juice runs out because money is just not useful beyond a point. Admittedly, material benefit to myself and my family isn't the only reason I work. However, the argument that "money is just not useful beyond a point" isn't a strong one in my mind. I'm in my late forties right now and make a reasonable sum of mon…
Right, let me clarify. Let's define three realms of experience for the sake of conversation: (physical/material), (emotional), (intellectual). For simplicity let's assume that all human experiences may be categorised thus. Now, what can money buy? Only things on the physical level, that is, _sense experiences_. Sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches. That's it. Money can't buy love or knowledge. Maybe a library,…
This is an oversimplification that detracts from the value of money. Your assumption that money can only buy sense experiences is incorrect. In reality, money can have a significant impact on the (emotional) and (intellectual) realms.
# Example for (emotional):
A couple with two children living together. The couple's emotional bonding is strained by feeling overwhelmed due to house chores. The strain can be significantly reduced by spending money on a nanny, ordering food when not in the mood for cooking, and other forms of domestic help.
# Example for (intellectual)
Working person with a family wants to pursue a second degree as a hobby. Unfortunately, they can't afford university.
It's true that, beyond a certain point, the returns from having more money diminish quickly. And I agree that as an inherent motivation it probably doesn't work for many people - only as a means to an end. But to say that money can only buy sense experiences is untrue.