Live data from Hacker News

SpaceX hires boy, 14, who became youngest graduate at California university

theguardian.com

21–30 of 54 posts

Re: SpaceX hires boy, 14, who became youngest graduate at California university

#21
post #19
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I attended high school from 8am to 3pm with a 45-minute lunch break and 15-minute reading break. 6hrs. Plus the 5-10 minutes between classes where I had to get up and walk to the next classroom. And you're saying that the work environment at SpaceX is comparable?

You may have had an easier high-school experience than I did. I had a commute of 30-45 minutes, I had long periods where I wasn't allowed to use the bathroom (and even when I could, the time in betweeen was short), my belongings were often messed with (people messed with the locker locks), and mucg higher academic expectations than I've seen in any workplace.

30-45 minutes each way? Were you in a rural environment or go to a private school?

Re: SpaceX hires boy, 14, who became youngest graduate at California university

#22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope that at the very least his parents encourage him to participate in non-technical activities with kids his age, e.g. sports, musics, chess.

I hope he has a non technical life too. I just don't assume that he would enjoy that interaction with other 14 year-olds. If he is used to studying and now working with adults, he might find them childish, boring, and unrelatable.

I have friends who have very different careers with very little technical expertise. Why can't he?

The point is that he is not talking to them about engineering, but sports, videogames or music.

Re: SpaceX hires boy, 14, who became youngest graduate at California university

#23
post #21
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You may have had an easier high-school experience than I did. I had a commute of 30-45 minutes, I had long periods where I wasn't allowed to use the bathroom (and even when I could, the time in betweeen was short), my belongings were often messed with (people messed with the locker locks), and mucg higher academic expectations than I've seen in any workplace.

30-45 minutes each way? Were you in a rural environment or go to a private school?

Catholic school, pretty common in my part of the country. My wife had a similar experience on a bus at a public school, two counties more rural.

Re: SpaceX hires boy, 14, who became youngest graduate at California university

#24

I am sure that he is very intelligent, but this is literally child labour. Especially if you are 14, there is more to life than education and career. And I can't help but think that this might eventually harm him, a major company isn't a place for a 14 year old who should be making friends his own age. Child labour isn't just bad because it is potentially dangerous and keeps children out of education, but because it…

> a major company isn't a place for a 14 year old

Neither is Mars a place for people. Sometimes people have their own unique goals and understand the tradeoffs

Re: SpaceX hires boy, 14, who became youngest graduate at California university

#25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope he has a non technical life too. I just don't assume that he would enjoy that interaction with other 14 year-olds. If he is used to studying and now working with adults, he might find them childish, boring, and unrelatable.

I have friends who have very different careers with very little technical expertise. Why can't he? The point is that he is not talking to them about engineering, but sports, videogames or music.

[deleted]

Re: SpaceX hires boy, 14, who became youngest graduate at California university

#26

I am sure that he is very intelligent, but this is literally child labour. Especially if you are 14, there is more to life than education and career. And I can't help but think that this might eventually harm him, a major company isn't a place for a 14 year old who should be making friends his own age. Child labour isn't just bad because it is potentially dangerous and keeps children out of education, but because it…

> a major company isn't a place for a 14 year old Neither is Mars a place for people. Sometimes people have their own unique goals and understand the tradeoffs

But he is a child, even tho he is out of school he likely still needs to develop socially. I'm betting he worked is ass of in school... i.e. there is likely improvement in soft skills

Re: SpaceX hires boy, 14, who became youngest graduate at California university

#27
post #21
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You may have had an easier high-school experience than I did. I had a commute of 30-45 minutes, I had long periods where I wasn't allowed to use the bathroom (and even when I could, the time in betweeen was short), my belongings were often messed with (people messed with the locker locks), and mucg higher academic expectations than I've seen in any workplace.

30-45 minutes each way? Were you in a rural environment or go to a private school?

I had a similar experience with public school even in Los Angeles, and thats before I started taking public transit and school buses to get to and from school. It would often take the better part of an hour with minimal LA traffic

Re: SpaceX hires boy, 14, who became youngest graduate at California university

#28
post #19
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I attended high school from 8am to 3pm with a 45-minute lunch break and 15-minute reading break. 6hrs. Plus the 5-10 minutes between classes where I had to get up and walk to the next classroom. And you're saying that the work environment at SpaceX is comparable?

You may have had an easier high-school experience than I did. I had a commute of 30-45 minutes, I had long periods where I wasn't allowed to use the bathroom (and even when I could, the time in betweeen was short), my belongings were often messed with (people messed with the locker locks), and mucg higher academic expectations than I've seen in any workplace.

I’m sorry you have such a tough time at school but the solution is to make school better not avoid it. Charter schools in the southeast are taking a dangerous hyper religious turn and aren’t going away anytime soon.

Re: SpaceX hires boy, 14, who became youngest graduate at California university

#29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope he has a non technical life too. I just don't assume that he would enjoy that interaction with other 14 year-olds. If he is used to studying and now working with adults, he might find them childish, boring, and unrelatable.

I have friends who have very different careers with very little technical expertise. Why can't he? The point is that he is not talking to them about engineering, but sports, videogames or music.

I agree with having diverse friends and non-technical interests. What I was reacting to is the idea that he should associate with other 14 year olds. It is possible that he would find their behavior juvenile, the way you or I would if we had to hang out with 14 year olds.

Re: SpaceX hires boy, 14, who became youngest graduate at California university

#30

I am sure that he is very intelligent, but this is literally child labour. Especially if you are 14, there is more to life than education and career. And I can't help but think that this might eventually harm him, a major company isn't a place for a 14 year old who should be making friends his own age. Child labour isn't just bad because it is potentially dangerous and keeps children out of education, but because it…

why apply a mold to someone who is clearly exceptional? this guy is probably living his dream will be schooling phds older than him in short time. I’m gonna guess he’s smart enough to know what he wants.
Post reply on HN