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I am nothing

paulbuchheit.blogspot.com

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Re: I am nothing

#31

Post by paul »

corin_ wrote: post #27

This isn't relevant to the actual message of the post, but something that caught my eye was in the paragraph about thinking you are "too X to be Y ". Most of them make sense, and I can understand people thinking the Y because of feeling the X . Except these two: too effeminate to be straight too smart to be kind Am I being foolish or do those two not fit? I can imagine someone thinking "I'm too sensitive, that's not…

They are all false. The point is that people hide parts of themselves so that they can more cleanly fit into whatever categories they identify with. How many straight men act macho out of fear of seeming gay?

Re: I am nothing

#32

Post by corin_ »

paul wrote: post #31
corin_ wrote: post #27

This isn't relevant to the actual message of the post, but something that caught my eye was in the paragraph about thinking you are "too X to be Y ". Most of them make sense, and I can understand people thinking the Y because of feeling the X . Except these two: too effeminate to be straight too smart to be kind Am I being foolish or do those two not fit? I can imagine someone thinking "I'm too sensitive, that's not…

They are all false. The point is that people hide parts of themselves so that they can more cleanly fit into whatever categories they identify with. How many straight men act macho out of fear of seeming gay?

Ah, I mis-understood your premise for that paragraph then - sorry!

On another offtopic note, I think the whole having to be macho thing is changing pretty fast though - not yet disappeared, but on its way. One of the biggest things I've noticed (in England) is that it's very common to see boys, aged 7-16 wearing pink tshirts. Even in my childhood ~10 years ago I don't think I remember any friends or anyone my age wearing pink for it being too feminine a colour. And that's just one random thing, but that trend seems to hold true in my experience in adults too, and not just in clothing.

Re: I am nothing

#34

Post by foysavas »

There is clear resonance between his main point and Kazantzakis's famous epitaph:

Δεν ελπίζω τίποτε. Δεν φοβούμαι τίποτε. Είμαι λεύτερος.

I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.

That said, awesome post.

Re: I am nothing

#35

Post by edw519 »

...you shouldn't compare yourself with others -- you didn't start in the same place or with the same challenges...

Reminds me of this:

Reb Zusha was laying on his deathbed surrounded by his disciples. He was crying and no one could comfort him. One student asked his Rebbe, "Why do you cry? You were almost as wise as Moses and as kind as Abraham." Reb Zusha answered, "When I pass from this world and appear before the Heavenly Tribunal, they won't ask me, 'Zusha, why weren't you as wise as Moses or as kind as Abraham,' rather, they will ask me, 'Zusha, why weren't you Zusha?' Why didn't I fulfill my potential, why didn't I follow the path that could have been mine."

Re: I am nothing

#36

Post by Alex3917 »

paul wrote: post #7
sidman wrote: post #2

I think there is a fine line you need to tread. I agree with what paul has to say but sometimes what we care about is what drives us. For the longest time i worked as a consultant but i never cared. When someone said to me so what do you do, i just said i work with computers, my rank didnt matter to me, my role , my status nothing. I wouldn't come to work in a suite or tie or even a shirt (i came in just a t-shirt an…

It's true that fear, insecurity, etc can provide us with drive, but they are not the only or best sources of drive.

I think even thinking about drive is a misnomer. Personal growth is more like the unfolding of a flower, it's not something that you (or anyone else) can will yourself to do. It just happens gradually given the right conditions.

Re: I am nothing

#37

Post by andrewcooke »

what's the implicit context here? it's hard not to think that this is related to the nym-wars, but how?

(i hope it's not "if we can be happy with who we are, then we will not mind using fixed identities"...)

Re: I am nothing

#38

Post by dporan »

What a wonderfully thought-provoking and inspiring piece. Thanks, Paul, for sharing it.

In a similar vein, from David Foster Wallace's 2005 commencement address at Kenyon College:

"If you worship money and things -- if they are where you tap real meaning in life -- then you will never have enough. Never feel you have enough. It's the truth. Worship your own body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally plant you.... Worship power -- you will feel weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to keep the fear at bay. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart -- you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. And so on."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178211966454607.html

Re: I am nothing

#39

Post by zitterbewegung »

This is why I like to do science. I feel like I am constantly learning. I know that I know nothing and I can only know a little bit more by science. When I acknowledged my limitations and just sat down and calculated then I performed better. Sort of a zen like way of thinking. I know that I know nothing and instead I must just calculate and manipulate symbols.

Re: I am nothing

#40

Post by skb_ »

jmtame wrote: post #8

Reminds me of a lecture given on Beginner's Mind that emphasizes the pitfalls of intellectualism: 'Can we look at our lives in such a way? Can we look at all of the aspects of our lives with this mind, just open to see what there is to see? I don't know about you, but I have a hard time doing that. I have a lot of habits of mind—I think most of us do. Children begin to lose that innocent quality after a while, and so…

As an expert, you've already got it figured out, so you don't need to pay attention to what's happening. Pity.

Not necessarily a pity. You have to be an expert at some things in order to become a beginner at others.

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