“Be yourself” is terrible advice

Post by jamescostian » Sat, Apr 20, 2019, 2:24 AM UTC

jdsully wrote: post #59

jamescostian wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If they think "you're naturally skilled at this", they're usually mistaken. We have completely different anecdata. I've said and heard people say "be yourself" many times. Rarely have I seen it go awry. Typically the people who say "be yourself" are naturally skilled at social interaction, so they can read whether the person is also able to socialize and make the right decision. But I can see how someone who lacks…

Your imaging a direct 1:1 scenario where the phrase is said referencing a specific moment. The problem is this advice is also given generically in one to many contexts or in writing form where there is no temporal component.

Post by namarie » Sat, Apr 20, 2019, 2:49 AM UTC

chacham15 wrote: post #80

To me, the hn version of "be yourself" is "You'll never beat Mark Zuckerberg by trying to be Mark Zuckerberg. Mark Zuckerberg will always be a better Mark Zuckerberg than you." (I think this is a pg quote, correct me if im wrong) That isnt saying that you dont have room for improvement or that you are your authentic self or whatever, but rather that you compete with people on the results and by trying to copy their m…

Post by combatentropy » Sat, Apr 20, 2019, 4:32 AM UTC

Forge36 wrote: post #43

It's only bad advice when applied universally. ANY advice given to single individual applied to everyone regardless of context/circumstances is going to turn out terrible.

Post by pesmhey » Sat, Apr 20, 2019, 4:59 AM UTC

combatentropy wrote: post #106

"But you and I know that the real effect of salt is exactly the opposite. So far from killing the taste of the egg and the tripe and the cabbage, it actually brings it out." --- http://merecslewis.blogspot.com/2011/03/can-world-see-christ...

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Apr 20, 2019, 1:31 PM UTC