Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

How will the miracle happen today?

kk.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

91–100 of 285 posts

Re: How will the miracle happen today?

#91

Post by lotsofpulp »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #57

I did the hitchhiking thing in my 20's. Up to Alaska and back. I know what he describes. I wish everyone could have some experience like this. Because, like Kevin, I also have a positive view about strangers, about my fellow humans. And I have met a lot of people (friends, coworkers) where I recognize in them a fearfulness of the world. And I used to be like that too. It really is a different and a wonderful world I…

From what I have heard, women in their 20s have a materially higher probability of experiencing the opposite.

Re: How will the miracle happen today?

#92

Post by JKCalhoun »

bpt3 wrote: post #18

If the world was filled with people with KK's attitude, humanity would have died off a very long time ago.

I disagree. The world is in fact filled with people with this attitude. And it is likely why we're still here at all.

"…it is one of high importance to all those animals which aid and defend one another, it will have been increased through natural selection; for those communities, which included the greatest number of the most sympathetic members, would flourish best, and rear the greatest number of offspring."

—Charles Darwin (the Ascent of Man)

Re: How will the miracle happen today?

#93

Post by Noaidi »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #57

I did the hitchhiking thing in my 20's. Up to Alaska and back. I know what he describes. I wish everyone could have some experience like this. Because, like Kevin, I also have a positive view about strangers, about my fellow humans. And I have met a lot of people (friends, coworkers) where I recognize in them a fearfulness of the world. And I used to be like that too. It really is a different and a wonderful world I…

Would you have a positive view about me, a homeless older man with schizoacffective disorder? Not looking for an answer, I just wan that in your head.

Re: How will the miracle happen today?

#94

Post by bpt3 »

buellerbueller wrote: post #27
bpt3 wrote: post #18

If the world was filled with people with KK's attitude, humanity would have died off a very long time ago.

Conversely, if the world was filled with people with this attitude, humanity would be living in a stable, post-scarcity situation from a very long time ago.

No, because everyone would be waiting around to be helped rather than producing the abundance required for a post-scarcity society (which can never actually exist by the way).

You can't eat or sleep in gratitude, especially from people who have no intent of repaying your favors.

Edit: To be clear, I was talking about the author in my comment above.

Re: How will the miracle happen today?

#95

Post by exegete »

postexitus wrote: post #39
BrokenCogs wrote: post #6

Sounds like someone who takes and does not give

There is a view that being a kindee is generosity, because you allow other people to express kindness (and feel good about themselves?).

Seems like a good way to rationalize receiving and not giving anything.

Re: How will the miracle happen today?

#96

Post by exdeejay_ »

thunderbong wrote: post #47

That was wonderful writing. As we go through the daily grind of life, we forget how privileged we are to be alive. I found the following two paragraphs truly incredible. > All of us begin in the same place. Whether sinner or saint, we are not owed our life. Our existence is an unnecessary extravagance, a wild gesture, an unearned gift. Not just at birth. The eternal surprise is being funneled to us daily, hourly, min…

inedible?

Re: How will the miracle happen today?

#97

Post by JKCalhoun »

bryanlarsen wrote: post #87
JKCalhoun wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're gong to throw away a life of living above fear if you focus on the 0.1%. And you'll never know what you were missing. You can stay at home your whole life, avoid travel, avoid meeting people. From my experience (60+ years now) the best times of my life have involved taking those "chances".

Me too. But is it the privilege of being large, male and white with a small but real family safety net? I specifically specified "vulnerable people" in my comment.

That's fair—and it's true I wasn't addressing them. Although I feel like vulnerability, in my experience, is a thing that absolutely elicits sympathy, compassion from strangers.

Part of why hitchhiking works is because you are putting yourself out there at the mercy of a stranger—making yourself vulnerable as it were.

Re: How will the miracle happen today?

#98

Post by Noaidi »

runamuck wrote: post #4

99.9% of the people I meet want to be kind and help. You just need to "tune into that frequency." Fantastic anecdotal article that speaks to the goodness of humanity.

Oh....what's the frequency Kennith? I have a hard time tuning to frequencies though, due to my severe mood disorder, so can you offer me some help on getting my tuner repaired first?

Goodness of humanity? Possibility of it, yes, yes, but have you seen the homeless counts rise in the U.S., richest country in the world?

Re: How will the miracle happen today?

#99

Post by yks »

When I read these enjoyable posts, I agree, but then the thought creeps in that the human experience is not all that bliss. Thoughts about the Russian soldiers raping Ukrainians and putting the grenade booby traps into the children toys (replace with other war experiences of your choice), or about parts of our society idolizing insecure men being cruel and inevitable murder of innocent bystanders that happens then.

Of course the author had a great experience, he's a weird white American somewhere unexpected, the embodiment of a "traveler" archetype. Would that Swedish person give their car keys to a random Roma on their doorstep? Yeah no.

I don't know where I'm going with this rant. "Check your privilege" screeds are overused. Being kind, on the other hand, isn't.

Re: How will the miracle happen today?

#100

Post by supern0va »

fwipsy wrote: post #49

I'm trying to square this guy's experience with all of the homeless people who don't seem nearly so lucky. Or perhaps they are being helped and supported and I don't see it? I agree with others here that the notion of relying on others so completely makes me feel uncomfortable, like I'm a burden. But I think that's part of what the author intends to draw attention to. Wouldn't a world where everyone freely supports e…

>I'm trying to square this guy's experience with all of the homeless people who don't seem nearly so lucky. Or perhaps they are being helped and supported and I don't see it?

I get that, but I do witness a lot of compassion and help directed to homeless folks. However, even if they're regularly gifted by strangers, it's likely not enough to materially change their situation.

I would suggest that the staggering efficacy of panhandling does demonstrate how remarkably willing strangers are willing to help a rough looking homeless person on a street. And beyond that, there are a lot of invisible homeless (the ones not struggling with mental health or drug issues) that remain off the streets because people in their community will give them a few days on a couch here or there, or help fix their car, give them a place to park a trailer, etc.

In my neighborhood, there's a homeless man that lives in a camper trailer in the back yard of some neighbors. They just met him one day and offered him a stable piece of land to be and help him out as they can. He comes around asking us neighbors for lawn care work and such to earn some money, which is how I learned about the situation.

Post reply on HN