To be completely honest I stopped reading when I saw the picture of a man with a big automatic weapon.
Well known person or not, advices and weapons do not go together.
I am nothing
111–120 of 134 posts
Re: I am nothing
#112Earlier quoted context omitted.
> But it all comes down to a matter of taste Sorry, but here you just klll in the egg your interesting point above. If you think pg's article is better than pb's, why hide your opinion, which I happen to share, behind this pudic relativist curtain? It's like doing a solid dissertation on why Python is more x and x and x than, say, Java, and then, in the conclusion, retract every statement behind a shy "matter of tast…
You caught me. In the past, I used to express my opinions, which are often strong and controversial, aggressively, but over time, I learnt that it's in my interest to make a consolation point toward people with opposite opinions in public places. "So this is my opinion and that is yours. We differ a bit but we are still friends, right?" I don't do that in my own writings, however.
> I learnt that it's in my interest to make a consolation point toward people with opposite opinions in public places
Well, you've just been shown the opposite. By dismissing your own argument - by claiming it is just a matter of random, arbitrary preference - you kind of write yourself out of the conversation. I guess you are less likely to offend, but you're less likely for anyone to listen at all. You may as well have not spoken in the first place.
Re: I am nothing
#113Earlier quoted context omitted.
> As for your analogy, that our thoughts and selves are an object in motion, which we must curb to reach a desirable point in space: the reality is, there is no object. Ah, how convenient, a single objective reality where nonexistence is possible :) To more precisely define my analogy and convey my understanding: current thought is a recurrence relation with previous thoughts. Inertia is the strength of the recurrenc…
Ah, I see. I'm sorry, I thought the object was ego, but if it's thought in that abstract form, then that was my misunderstanding of your explanation. Indeed, you are correct in that analogy, to that extent.
No apologies necessary, I did indeed use a newtonian object as the particular for ego in the first analogy. In regards to abstract forms and mental constructs as not existing in the same manner as objects, I'd disagree with you and the OP and hold that they do exist, at least in the same manner that everything else can be said to, if anything else is said to. In other words, I would assert there is no difference in types of existence nor duality between existence and nonexistence, object and nonobject, that is derivable and non-arbitrary. What I would concede is that an ego (and everything else) is "empty" of perfect causal independence. In other words, it must be emergent and generated.
Re: I am nothing
#114As I read this, I kept thinking of the movie American Beauty. If you found this post through-provoking or disagree with it, watch this movie.
Re: I am nothing
#115I don't know much Zen, but after the "Zenish" comments in here, I guess lots of HN-ers do, right? I maybe am a case of "western individuation syndrome", but for me, loosing individuation for protecting myself sounds rather like an oxymoron. Actually, when there's nothing to protect, there nothing to improve, whatever that guy says. And even if you might say that Buchheit didn't suggest to actually dissolve your perso…
It is not an oxymoron, it is a paradox, duly noted by Simon Leys an others: Only the ones with the strongest personality (hear "self") can truly wipe out their ego. For us normal people, the goal could be to lower expectations about oneself, but for those rare birds, usually monks, I believe it means something very deep (not much related to PB's note, though).
You're using "ego" with that "vanity" sense. I'm referring to ego as in "self". I agree that strong people have less "ego", less "self-importance". Try wiping out "your self" instead and see those strong people crumble.
Re: I am nothing
#116Excellent. Any true hacker must understand every level of the development process, and that includes one's own mind, standing back and questioning the inner thought processes that one normally thinks of as the self.
Re: I am nothing
#117Reminds me of this:
"Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God."
- 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NLT)
Re: I am nothing
#118As I read this, I kept thinking of the movie American Beauty. If you found this post through-provoking or disagree with it, watch this movie.
...funny, I kept on thinking of the line in WarGames when WOPR says the only way to win is not to play.
Re: I am nothing
#119Study any martial art (preferably one where you can spar) and you'll forever understand the meaning of ego. You show up, do drills/padwork, think you're making progress and then spar someone who beats you up. You do the same thing the next day, and the next, and the next. Eventually you improve and make progress because you're training so hard. But there's always that one guy you can't beat, and that new kid whose fa…
I think this happens in any context where you're learning from talented people and you still have your mind open. I think it's just part of growing up and maturing.
Perhaps martial arts make the feedback more direct than other areas of expertise.
Re: I am nothing
#120...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…
This immediately made me think of the line from Desiderata.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Full text on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiderata#Full_text