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How to Think for Yourself

paulgraham.com

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Re: How to Think for Yourself

#421

Post by Arubis »

Over the years, I've found PG's essays much less compelling. As some sibling comments here have noted, there's a level of self-assuredness that feels increasingly disconnected from reality, like PG's become a synecdoche of SF VC-fuelled startup culture as a whole. Whether that's him changing, or me, or the world, I'm not certain--but I still look forward to them simply because the ensuing discussions here on HN tend to have some gold in them.

Edit: typo on “synecdoche” (original was “synecdouche,” which could be read as clever/juvenile but was simply unintentional).

Also: my original phrasing (which I’ll leave intact above for context) was vague; I specifically meant to express that the more recent essays resonate less with me than the older ones once did. I haven’t reevaluated the older essays; it’s been ages since I went through them.

Re: How to Think for Yourself

#422

Post by powersnail »

x87678r wrote: post #404

Some of my biggest regrets are doing what I thought was best when I should have done what everyone else was doing. This ranges from from not buying an overpriced house 20 years ago, to not partying at college, to following some interesting but unpopular technology. Its not all bad doing things your own way but you have to be careful about straying too much.

I have the opposite regrets.

I have a very persuadable personality, and despite my anxiety in social interactions, I was often pushed into things that everyone was doing, but I wasn't enjoying doing. So much time was spent playing games I don't like, doing sports that weren't my strength.

When I reflect on my younger years, I'd probably had been less sullen and depressed if I allowed myself to stay in my apartments, studying, making music, and just not concerning so much about people's invitations. I should've just taken the damn violin classes instead of going to tennis courts; or written my damn novel, instead of going to the party watching people drink alcohol and blow on ping-pong balls.

For those who enjoy parties, they were fond memories. For me, they only exacerbated my loneliness.

There are two realizations that came to me too late: 1). I don't need to appease to every interests of my immediate circle to maintain friendships; it's in fact somewhat counter-productive. 2). however niche a hobby is, there are probably enough people also doing it to give me enough society, especially in the age of internet.

By first asserting to myself my actual passions, and seeking friends based on that, I actually get a broader circle of friends in a more organic way.

Re: How to Think for Yourself

#423

Post by MetalGuru »

mcguire wrote: post #410

" Ditto for essayists. An essay that told people things they already knew would be boring. You have to tell them something new. " How come I know exactly where this essay is going? It is yet another "start-up founders are genetically, intellectually, and emotionally superior; the rest of the muggles are so envious." Does Paul think everyone except startup founders works on an assembly line? " You see this especially…

Nowhere in the essay does he argue that the three qualities of independent thinkers are exclusive to startup founders. You clearly feel some type of way about Paul Graham.

Re: How to Think for Yourself

#424

Post by pjscott »

lanevorockz wrote: post #413

Sad state of affairs that people need to be thought how to think for themselves. It's unnatural and only a product of the current educational systems. Greek philosophers were able to do a lot of great work over 2 thousand years ago.

Greek philosophers whose works are still being read today are probably not a representative sample. It's tempting to look back at a few exceptional people from past societies, compare them with typical people from ours, and find our society lacking -- but this isn't a fair comparison.

Re: How to Think for Yourself

#425

Post by Kranar »

VoodooJuJu wrote: post #417
Kranar wrote: post #411

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fair enough but I did all the things you regret and I am very very happy I did them. Bought a house in 2009 when everyone said it was stupid because of the great recession, avoided partying, drinking or doing any kind of drugs, or "having fun" all throughout high school and university, and instead of using all the newest and greatest popular technologies I made my own libraries. That house is now worth 3 times more t…

I think that's exactly what they're saying - that they regret not partying and not buying that nice house.

Fair enough, my interpretation is that he wishes he did party in college and chose not to because he thought it was best in spite of what everyone else was doing and that he regrets not buying the house simply on the basis that everyone was telling him that he should when he felt that he shouldn't.

My response is simply that it's irrelevant what everyone else is doing and to not make decisions on that basis. Sometimes most people do things for good reasons and it's worth knowing those reasons and participating in the same actions. Sometimes most people do things for bad reasons and you should avoid doing them even though it will make you unpopular.

Don't decide to buy a house because everyone else is doing it or not doing it, buy a house because it's a sound financial decision based on your own personal life situation.

In general, focus on the reasons, not on the popularity.

Re: How to Think for Yourself

#426

Post by kanox »

mcguire wrote: post #410

" Ditto for essayists. An essay that told people things they already knew would be boring. You have to tell them something new. " How come I know exactly where this essay is going? It is yet another "start-up founders are genetically, intellectually, and emotionally superior; the rest of the muggles are so envious." Does Paul think everyone except startup founders works on an assembly line? " You see this especially…

Hackernews is a garbage community.

Re: How to Think for Yourself

#427

Post by MetalGuru »

x87678r wrote: post #404

Some of my biggest regrets are doing what I thought was best when I should have done what everyone else was doing. This ranges from from not buying an overpriced house 20 years ago, to not partying at college, to following some interesting but unpopular technology. Its not all bad doing things your own way but you have to be careful about straying too much.

What made you think those decisions were best at the time? Maybe the issue isn’t that you went against the grain, but rather that what you thought was best wasn’t thought through enough?

Re: How to Think for Yourself

#428

Post by galaxyLogic »

eloff wrote: post #349
_jal wrote: post #336

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Sorry but I strongly disagree with your assertion that building a business is a zero-sum game. It isn't either/or. Nearly all businesses do "create value". Nearly all businesses also compete for a limited supply of customers, because nearly all markets can produce more outputs than are needed. The ratio between the two matters a lot to the character of the company.

It's not fixed though. You may think the market for cars only has so much demand, but if you can make a car cheaper, demand goes up. This is one of the most fundamental laws of microeconomics (the non bullshit part of economics.) There are definitely some zero sum games, I'm not disagreeing with you, just pointing out a nuance. The market for eyeballs/attention is zero sum. Netflix famously thinks of its competition…

> Netflix famously thinks of its competition as everything outside of Netflix

Is that true or just marketing? Is Netflix seriously competing against every other type of industry? How could it survive if there was nothing but Netflix? Or are they so megalomaniac that they are trying to take over the pharmaceutical industry too? And agriculture? And military? I can't believe.

Re: How to Think for Yourself

#429

Post by [deleted] »

x87678r wrote: post #404

Some of my biggest regrets are doing what I thought was best when I should have done what everyone else was doing. This ranges from from not buying an overpriced house 20 years ago, to not partying at college, to following some interesting but unpopular technology. Its not all bad doing things your own way but you have to be careful about straying too much.

[deleted]

Re: How to Think for Yourself

#430

Post by ssalazar »

Apocryphon wrote: post #360
RickHull wrote: post #214

For those railing against this essay, who feel that PG is fluffing himself up and patting himself on the back like a nerdy middleschooler -- you've missed the big point, badly. PG writes unapologetically, directly, and simply, and this may pattern match to a naive middleschooler, but you are letting your base instincts cover up the fact that PG is wise, has earned his stripes, and is sharing his wisdom, unapologetica…

To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand pg. The wisdom is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of theoretical business most of the insights will go over a typical reader’s head. There's also pg’s positivistic outlook, which is deftly woven into his characterisation- his personal philosophy draws heavily from Sam Altman literature, for instance.

> To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand pg

This isnt the defense of pg you think it to be.

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