Earlier quoted context omitted.
I will make sure never to get myself in a land war in Asia
Why? Are you American? The European powers have won many land wars in Asia over the centuries.
Majorly in 19th century, when the west industrialized first.
68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice
41–50 of 286 posts
Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice
#42This page really is a goldmine. In the spirit of not being afraid to ask stupid questions, I don't understand a couple of them - anyone care to explain? > When you die you take absolutely nothing with you except your reputation. Is this saying that your reputation dies with you? I don't get this, surely people will remember how you acted when you were alive. I'm probably taking it too literally. > Don’t ever respond…
> When you die you take absolutely nothing with you except your reputation.
I look at it slightly differently. I interpret it as, you take your reputation with you to the grave because when you die, your reputation as it stands, is as dead as you are.
How you act while you're around will be interpreted in one way, but when you're gone, you are no longer around to defend your reputation, or to act in a way that reflects the times.
In this way many people, and especially white males, have had their reputation tarnished. Instead of being good, accomplished, respectable people, they have been labeled racist or sexist or misogynist, and have had their achievements diminished or taken away from them entirely.
Don't believe me? Look for articles in the Guardian or NY Times about Albert Einstein, Shakespeare, Gandhi, Nietzsche, Bill Hicks, DH Lawrence, and on and on and on and on.
Apparently it's trendy to take people out of the context in which they existed, and judge them based on a different one entirely.
Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice
#43> Don’t say anything about someone in email you would not be comfortable saying to them directly, because eventually they will read it. Absolutely - I've learned this the hard way and it's giving me new appreciation for phone calls. It's amazing how many people do _not_ remember that an email chain of several hundred pages _will_ contain something incriminating or embassaring if forwarded to someone outside the origi…
It's not just email. New joiners may be able to read old posts on chat threads or forums.
Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice
#44My personal favorite
>Following your bliss is a recipe for paralysis if you don’t know what you are passionate about. A better motto for most youth is “master something, anything”. Through mastery of one thing, you can drift towards extensions of that mastery that bring you more joy, and eventually discover where your bliss is.
Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice
#45This page really is a goldmine. In the spirit of not being afraid to ask stupid questions, I don't understand a couple of them - anyone care to explain? > When you die you take absolutely nothing with you except your reputation. Is this saying that your reputation dies with you? I don't get this, surely people will remember how you acted when you were alive. I'm probably taking it too literally. > Don’t ever respond…
A while ago, I wrote a haiku on this.
Gods, sages, authors
Each a prisoner of their work.
Be legacy free.
Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice
#46> The purpose of a habit is to remove that action from self-negotiation.
This is very powerful. Reminds me of the "system 1 vs system 2" discussion, and some descriptions of e.g. ADHD and depression causing what could be described as "failure to terminate in self-negotiation".
Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice
#47> Optimize your generosity. No one on their deathbed has ever regretted giving too much away. Not sure if I agree completely. I've seen people regret giving their life to the service of others and not noticing they were not living their own life until too late.
The key word is "optimize." Note that the author didn't say "maximize."
Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice
#48> Talent is distributed unfairly, but there is no limit on how much we can improve what we start with.
That's just not true. I will never be an Alan Turing or a John von Neumann, and I dare say neither will you, dear reader. The reason isn't that we're just too lazy.
See also the legend (myth?) of Antonio Salieri's jealousy of Mozart's natural talent:
When confronted with the limitations of his own mediocre talent, Antonio Salieri, Mozart's nemesis, believes God has cheated him, while a vulgar, undeserving brat seems to possess divinely inspired musical gifts.
(Taken from https://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/2-17-2009/Mozart-vs.-S... )
Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice
#49This page really is a goldmine. In the spirit of not being afraid to ask stupid questions, I don't understand a couple of them - anyone care to explain? > When you die you take absolutely nothing with you except your reputation. Is this saying that your reputation dies with you? I don't get this, surely people will remember how you acted when you were alive. I'm probably taking it too literally. > Don’t ever respond…
I think the argument is flawed. If you don't exist to feel the loss of rep or what people think of you afterwards. It doesn't matter at all. It's as non-existent as other things.
Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice
#50There is a lot to be said for "never get involved in a land war in Asia"
Unless you're with the Mongols.