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Sacrificing everything for my dog. How I became a programmer

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Re: Sacrificing everything for my dog. How I became a programmer

#121

Post by joonix »

So dogs don't deserve to be locked up all day inside, but kids, and people, do?

Humans are happy outdoors. Children need to be outside exploring, playing, figuring out the earth and nature, not sitting inside on iPads all day. Just because there are "good jobs" in tech doesn't mean it's OK to withdraw your child from nature in order to allow more time tinkering with computers.

Let kids get close with nature. Let them connect with animals and the earth. It will lead to calmer, more empathetic adults with less anxiety and more confidence and compassion.

Re: Sacrificing everything for my dog. How I became a programmer

#122

Post by beat »

cpursley wrote: post #75
drrotmos wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I strongly disagree. In my mind, the only way to vote is to vote your conscience, not what happens to give me the greatest personal gain. "The God Delusion" by Dawkins includes a great (and somewhat Rawlsian) rule, 'Always devise your rules as if you didn't know whether you were going be at the top or the bottom of the pecking order.' E.g., as a libertarian, I consider taxes to be unethical regardless of whether I ga…

Yeah, I'm a libertarian also. Most people think the way people understand taxes is a.) screw the poor, it's mine b.) screw the rich, you don't deserve it. But there's an entirely different philosophy out there. Taxes, which are non-voluntary by nature, are theft and therefore unethical. It's hard for many to conceptualize, but you can actually help the poor and those causes you care about and be anti-tax. It's not li…

Sadly, that's the exception rather than the rule for libertarians (I say this as a left libertarian). Far too many self-styled libertarians are convinced they'd be rich if they weren't being held down by taxes and regulation. Sigh.

What I've started telling every single one who parrots this nonsense - "Show me an onerous regulation that causes real pain for individuals and businesses, and I'll show you an opportunity for a REAL entrepreneur to get rich by making their lives easier." For all the talk of entrepreneurial spirit among right-libertarians, they have shockingly little faith in the capabilities of entrepreneurs to turn other people's problems into business opportunities.

Re: Sacrificing everything for my dog. How I became a programmer

#123

Post by beat »

Udo wrote: post #34
seldo wrote: post #10

Remember kids, if you work hard, sacrifice, and have parents with a spare house in Tahoe they can lend you rent-free indefinitely, you too can make it as a programmer.

Who your parents are and who you know is a big determinant of what you're going to do with your life. I don't see anything wrong with using these resources if they're available. Also, as a European, I am continually amazed by the low, low real estate prices in some parts of the US. There are very nice big rural properties that even I could afford without a lot of hassle. I must admit I've actually toyed with the idea…

More than just who your parents are... who your role models are. Who are the most successful adults you know when growing up as a child, what are they doing with their lives, and how did they get there?

I grew up in a poor, uneducated family. The only wealthy/successful people I met were people my dad worked for, and he had nothing but contempt for them generally. It wasn't until I went to college that I really started meeting people who made something of themselves. My sense of scope, of what I can do on my own, has grown with the kinds of people I know. I left the limitations of my childhood behind long ago.

Re: Sacrificing everything for my dog. How I became a programmer

#124

Post by asciimo »

drewcoo wrote: post #38
seldo wrote: post #10

Remember kids, if you work hard, sacrifice, and have parents with a spare house in Tahoe they can lend you rent-free indefinitely, you too can make it as a programmer.

Your point is really snarky. I also don't like that he tried to externalize his decisions, though. His dog made him do it? Oh, look - I'm being snarky now, but that's what I got out of it. I actually respect him for explaining his motives and position even if I don't agree with him. Everybody acts irrationally and we rarely admit it openly.

He admits in the article that the Guiding Paw of Deimos is a disingenuous story; in truth he was dissatisfied with his career path. He motivated himself by being accountable to an external party, a psychological "hack" that works for many people.

Re: Sacrificing everything for my dog. How I became a programmer

#125

Post by eshvk »

flyinRyan wrote: post #64
eshvk wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Since I never clarified what I meant and you came up with such a specific notion, it would appear you're projecting some defensiveness here. Correct, I was taking up an example, which is why I used the phrase "one might say ". I didn't advocate a specific position (higher or lower taxes). I am completely detached; I don't participate in the political system in America (neither do I plan to ever) so I simply don't c…

>The problem that bugs me is this presumption that the people are not cognizant of what is good for them. Go to America. Live there for a while. Move to a red state and actually talk to people. This presumption won't seem so arrogant when you meet so many people for which there is no other logical conclusion to make. >I would argue that it is not in Warren Buffett's self interest to vote for higher taxes It's not, bu…

> Go to America. Live there for a while. Move to a red state and actually talk to people. This presumption won't seem so arrogant when you meet so many people for which there is no other logical conclusion to make.

I lived in a red state (TX) for three years. Tell me more how this is supposed to have exposed me to the idiotic masses who have one exact reason why they vote conservative.

Re: Sacrificing everything for my dog. How I became a programmer

#126

Post by hsitz »

joonix wrote: post #121

So dogs don't deserve to be locked up all day inside, but kids, and people, do? Humans are happy outdoors. Children need to be outside exploring, playing, figuring out the earth and nature, not sitting inside on iPads all day. Just because there are "good jobs" in tech doesn't mean it's OK to withdraw your child from nature in order to allow more time tinkering with computers. Let kids get close with nature. Let them…

The writer's comments were not primarily about a dog being locked _inside_, there were more about the dog being left _alone_. It's illegal to lock a kid inside alone all day (or at all), but that's how many dogs are left, even though dogs are pack animals that decline without interaction.

Yes, there is the additional element of nature (i.e., Tahoe) in the narrative. And nature certainly enriches both our lives and a dog's life. But having interaction with others is a more basic and even more important requirement in our lives. Nature, important as it is, is more like the frosting on top.

Re: Sacrificing everything for my dog. How I became a programmer

#127

Post by cko »

Afforess wrote: post #31

I like the story, but I feel it's important to mention that the authors stated opinion on Karma is terrifying . Karma is essentially the worst sort of belief, in that superficially it seems to reward good behavior and punish bad behavior. This appeals to a lot of people because of its clear "carrot/stick" mentality and overall simplicity. This is the "Just-World" hypothesis. In reality, this kind of thinking means th…

That's a rather dogmatic way of thinking about karma.

'I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.' Anguttara Nikaya 5.57 (translator: Thanissaro Bhikkhu)

Lesson to self: practice noble habits and refrain from ignoble ones.

Re: Sacrificing everything for my dog. How I became a programmer

#128

Post by jamesaguilar »

Afforess wrote: post #31

I like the story, but I feel it's important to mention that the authors stated opinion on Karma is terrifying . Karma is essentially the worst sort of belief, in that superficially it seems to reward good behavior and punish bad behavior. This appeals to a lot of people because of its clear "carrot/stick" mentality and overall simplicity. This is the "Just-World" hypothesis. In reality, this kind of thinking means th…

> the authors stated opinion on Karma is terrifying.

Man, people on this site overuse the word "terrifying."

Re: Sacrificing everything for my dog. How I became a programmer

#129

Post by general_failure »

hsitz wrote: post #126
joonix wrote: post #121

So dogs don't deserve to be locked up all day inside, but kids, and people, do? Humans are happy outdoors. Children need to be outside exploring, playing, figuring out the earth and nature, not sitting inside on iPads all day. Just because there are "good jobs" in tech doesn't mean it's OK to withdraw your child from nature in order to allow more time tinkering with computers. Let kids get close with nature. Let them…

The writer's comments were not primarily about a dog being locked _inside_, there were more about the dog being left _alone_. It's illegal to lock a kid inside alone all day (or at all), but that's how many dogs are left, even though dogs are pack animals that decline without interaction. Yes, there is the additional element of nature (i.e., Tahoe) in the narrative. And nature certainly enriches both our lives and a…

Kids might not be locked alone but they are definitely left all alone with their iPads in practically all families I have seen. The trend is especially true in the western world where the parents are too 'busy' and send their kids off to preschool way too early since they can't be bothered with parenting.

Re: Sacrificing everything for my dog. How I became a programmer

#130

Post by nobodysfool »

tfb wrote: post #49

I honestly don't know where I'd be without my dog. They really are amazing animals. It's been a rough few years and just knowing that every time I get up from the computer that he's ready to make me smile and go wherever I go, whenever I go... it's a perfect reminder of why I work as hard as I do. Even though I do walk him multiple times each day, I feel bad for sitting at this machine working 70+ hours a week trying…

Stop projecting your feelings on your dog. Your dog does not guilt you into anything, your dog doesn't judge you, you are judging yourself.
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