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Ask HN: I'm interested in so many disciplines, but what can I do with that?

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Re: Ask HN: I'm interested in so many disciplines, but what can I do with that?

#11

Post by Phileosopher »

bckr wrote: post #2

I was going to suggest writing, and I'll go one further: Do write a blog, but don't just write a blog. Write a blog, and then create a video for each blog post, and upload it to YouTube (where the eyeballs willing to consume intellectual material are). Also do livestreams. Start interviewing anyone who will take you seriously. Set a goal for who your dream interviewee is. Do this for a couple years, putting out conte…

I most certainly agree that writing isn't cliche, but the exceedingly low barrier to entry makes it hard to distinguish yourself from the crowd of untalented hacks who want to squeeze money out.

More what I'm saying is that the environment requires shedloads of marketing acumen. Not that that's impossible to learn, but it means you're either getting someone to sell it for you (i.e., a publisher) or have to do a lot of work you probably don't love (i.e., not writing).

Or you could be like me and make stuff for fun, and never expect to get paid for it!

Re: Ask HN: I'm interested in so many disciplines, but what can I do with that?

#12

Post by samh748 »

bckr wrote: post #2

I was going to suggest writing, and I'll go one further: Do write a blog, but don't just write a blog. Write a blog, and then create a video for each blog post, and upload it to YouTube (where the eyeballs willing to consume intellectual material are). Also do livestreams. Start interviewing anyone who will take you seriously. Set a goal for who your dream interviewee is. Do this for a couple years, putting out conte…

How did you read my mind? I've thought of most of these things and thought I was completely crazy dreaming.

I absolutely want to interview people, dig their brains, hear their stories, etc.! This reminds me of how I used to go to my profs office hours because I just loved hearing them talk passionately about their subjects.

A question, livestream of what?

Re: Ask HN: I'm interested in so many disciplines, but what can I do with that?

#13

Post by bckr »

Phileosopher wrote: post #11
bckr wrote: post #2

I was going to suggest writing, and I'll go one further: Do write a blog, but don't just write a blog. Write a blog, and then create a video for each blog post, and upload it to YouTube (where the eyeballs willing to consume intellectual material are). Also do livestreams. Start interviewing anyone who will take you seriously. Set a goal for who your dream interviewee is. Do this for a couple years, putting out conte…

I most certainly agree that writing isn't cliche, but the exceedingly low barrier to entry makes it hard to distinguish yourself from the crowd of untalented hacks who want to squeeze money out. More what I'm saying is that the environment requires shedloads of marketing acumen. Not that that's impossible to learn, but it means you're either getting someone to sell it for you (i.e., a publisher) or have to do a lot o…

I think what you're saying is probably right, but I also think there's a big overlap between being a great writer and being a great marketer.

There's bonus value in getting paid because it's a relatively simple metric for "how good of a writer am I".

Re: Ask HN: I'm interested in so many disciplines, but what can I do with that?

#15

Post by jitendrac »

I kinda feel the same. Choose a field where you are already good and get a job/have a business in it for living. On other side become a ruthless learner of whatever you like. Go to different gathering of industries/disciplines, go to Expos,if feel like you can also join part-time university course or become a citizen scientist. Log your knowledge in any form of blog, journal, diary or personal knowledge-base. Hop between them when you feel like, if stuck read your past progress. It feeds my curiosity but it does not mostly create the positive cash-flow.

Re: Ask HN: I'm interested in so many disciplines, but what can I do with that?

#16

Post by jmcgough »

You might find that you hate trying to "do" something with your curiosities. It might feel more work than fun after a while.

But I suspect that if you love learning about lots of different things, you'd enjoy sharing those things too (and teaching!). Blog, podcast, youtube videos.

If you're in a major city, check and see if there's groups that could scratch your itch. Odd Salon (https://oddsalon.com/) is really cool if you're in the bay or NYC - people give talks about weird bits of science and history.

Re: Ask HN: I'm interested in so many disciplines, but what can I do with that?

#18

Post by bckr »

samh748 wrote: post #12
bckr wrote: post #2

I was going to suggest writing, and I'll go one further: Do write a blog, but don't just write a blog. Write a blog, and then create a video for each blog post, and upload it to YouTube (where the eyeballs willing to consume intellectual material are). Also do livestreams. Start interviewing anyone who will take you seriously. Set a goal for who your dream interviewee is. Do this for a couple years, putting out conte…

How did you read my mind? I've thought of most of these things and thought I was completely crazy dreaming. I absolutely want to interview people, dig their brains, hear their stories, etc.! This reminds me of how I used to go to my profs office hours because I just loved hearing them talk passionately about their subjects. A question, livestream of what?

Dig into intellectual / political Twitch. One guy I've paid attention to is Hal Sparks, a comedian/TV personality turned webby political analyst.

He just reads a bunch of stuff and then does a livestream talking about current events and connecting them with what he's read (plus jokes). There's also a lot of reacting to YouTubers' video essays and the news.

Bullet points for livestreaming subject matter:

* Reacting to the news.

* Reacting to YouTubers / web content.

* Q&A sessions (this is key--the strength of livestreaming is audience interactivity, and that audience will be fiercely loyal).

* Spitballing -- You can give a rough version of a presentation you might give in a video.

* Live writing / creating -- This sounds crazy, but people actually watch people write code, create music etc.

Additional considerations:

* Create a ritual that people show up for. Livestreaming and video audiences love rhythm.

* You don't have to be that entertaining -- people often turn to Twitch/YouTube to fill a similar need in their life that they use podcasts for -- background noise / a distraction where they can feel like they're in the room with a public figure / community.

Re: Ask HN: I'm interested in so many disciplines, but what can I do with that?

#19

Post by alliao »

during the coronavirus episode I grew fascinated with the inventor of N95 mask, the guy came from Taiwan and regularly write rather candid thoughts on newsletter section as if it's his personal blog in Taiwan's nonwoven association's website; anyway I digress.

Turns out this guy's just like you! He took literally every single paper built up to 500 credits for his post grad. And it is exactly this multidisciplinary approach that lead to his invention which is only commercialisable due to his intuitions in manufacturing processes...

I firmly believe there's value in broad interests and no time is spent unwisely. Just remember to step up when it's your queue, best of luck and even if you don't think you did anything I'm sure at least the swimming through the content was enjoyable trip all by itself..

Re: Ask HN: I'm interested in so many disciplines, but what can I do with that?

#20

Post by MarcelYT »

(long time lurker but made an account for this post specifically) I'm in a somewhat similar boat. I'm not even in my thirties and figured out that staying in IT as a full-stack lead whatever architect project manager do-it-all which I'd gotten close to would not even be remotely challenging and intellectually stimulating enough but would swindle me out of my time.

Right now I'm expanding that to slowly build up a hosting company (a cluster running on Docker Swarm and Gluster with a lot of tools and scripts already), jammed basically all fundamental music theory in my head and working hard to apply that, make YouTube videos, do streaming on Twitch, do 3D stuff, work with a game engine, graphic/web design, being capable to have professional-level conversations about therapy and always interested to learn more on the sidelines, doing voice acting and impressions.. well.. etc. because basically I gravitate towards more stuff and the list goes on. It turns into this rambling list real quick because I still have no way to synthesize it all into something that can be quickly and simply understood. I don't know if I ever can. My theory so far is that that becomes easier once all those skills go more into the unconscious competence stage.

It comes with the territory of being profoundly gifted for me and I wouldn't want it any other way. The main challenge for me is trying to find a way to have income and still be busy with all these things. Perhaps in some time in the future I'll be able to combine a lot/all of these things and sit in some ridiculous hyperniche.

So with all that, I have no idea where I'm going but going there is too much fun to let up and I'll fight forever to keep going that way. A confusing state and a paradoxical one since it goes past understanding to understand a lot. Wish I could help. I just wanted to share.

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