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God's Lonely Programmer

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Re: God's Lonely Programmer

#161

Post by ixtli »

andywood wrote: post #145

To anyone brandishing the word 'racist' here, can you point us to any instance where what Terry wrote was not merely a rambling screed with the n-word in it, but actually racist thought. Because to me, those are different things - the former likely an excusable symptom, and the latter, y'know, actual racism . Maybe you think it's the same. Maybe you're enforcing your zero-tolerance policy. If so, we disagree. To me i…

To call not being accepting of any incarnation of racial violence "zero-tolerance" has a really unfortunate air of dismissal to it. I, for one, am not a middle school hall monitor. There are things that a (relatively) advanced, civil society like ours should not accept. Just because you say something and may or may not mean what someone else meant does not remove the broader social context. The word is racist because of the social context and when you use it you evoke that context whether you understand it, agree with it, or not.

Edit: to be clear, my point is that evoking such an idea or meaning is violent towards others and an individual doesn't get to decide that this isn't the case. Believing you can is a hallmark of privilege.

Re: God's Lonely Programmer

#162

Post by kristofferR »

andywood wrote: post #145

To anyone brandishing the word 'racist' here, can you point us to any instance where what Terry wrote was not merely a rambling screed with the n-word in it, but actually racist thought. Because to me, those are different things - the former likely an excusable symptom, and the latter, y'know, actual racism . Maybe you think it's the same. Maybe you're enforcing your zero-tolerance policy. If so, we disagree. To me i…

I could - but I don't see the point at all. Blaming him for being a racist is like blaming someone with alzheimer for being forgetful.

Re: God's Lonely Programmer

#163

Post by kstenerud »

davidw wrote: post #111
innguest wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It really makes it patently obvious, when the subject is a mentally ill person that is doing well for themselves, that the agenda of the collectivist is really about controlling how other people live, and the fact that they are mentally ill, or poor, or gay, or any other special group, is just an excuse to meddle with their lives. This doesn't affect just minorities. Oh, you want to marry someone? Well, then society…

From the article: > Unable to work, he collects Social Security disability He's doing ok because the 'collective' takes care of him.

You say it as though it were a bad thing. He has money coming in, has a roof over his head, does fulfilling work, and from his description is quite satisfied with his life. Where is the problem?

Re: God's Lonely Programmer

#164

Post by kstenerud »

Tenhundfeld wrote: post #124
kstenerud wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish I could impart upon you the disempowering effect of condescension. When you "offer help" to someone who is happy with where they're at, and not in distress, you're basically telling them that they probably can't make it without you stepping in to support them. You're telling them that they, the wretched ones, are dependent upon the real people, who come down from on high to help them sort their obviously broke…

This Terry guy collects disability and lives with his parents. He seems to be asking for help constantly by virtue of the fact that he's only surviving due to the generosity of society. Don't project your personal experience onto everyone else. On a side note, I don't know anything about you, but judging solely from the comments in this thread, you are causing yourself so much unnecessary pain. You are the only one w…

He's carved a life out for himself that works. He has food, shelter, money, and fulfilling work. Why do you assume that he needs people to offer help?

Re: God's Lonely Programmer

#166

Post by darkmighty »

lomnakkus wrote: post #100
mblevin wrote: post #38

Throughout the span of modern history, we've had gifted creators whose talent is at a minimum intertwined if not completely predicated on their mental illness. Whether it was Van Gogh or Kurt Kobain, we've seen it consistently. Terry is potentially one of the first if not the only creators of this type using a completely digital medium. TempleOS is essentially a 10-year art project.

Unfortunately, in years past, we only heard (in the mainstream) from the few that succeeded, not the huge numbers of individuals that just ended up in asylums or, worse, dead. That's not to take anything away from the "project" (as art), but let's be realistic about the possible gains we (as a society) can gain from this. My conjecture is that it would be better to try to get some help for this person.

I find it very weird that his treatment is being viewed as unnecessary due to him producing something. Any other disease and this would be frowned upon.

His disease is a sad and miserable existence. Being schizophrenic is like have everyone against you; religion is his coping mechanism not to freak out against everything, but who knows how long it's going to last.

Anyone suggesting he could get be offered a job clearly never really knew someone with the condition. I think it could be possible if he worked remotely, though.

I hate so much schizophrenia... being denied reality has got to be one of the worst conditions a person can find herself in.

Re: God's Lonely Programmer

#167

Post by eivarv »

unclebucknasty wrote: post #99
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every time his story comes up, there are people who respond with answers along the lines of "what can we do for him? can we find him assisted employment? can we raise money for him?" etc. While these comments are surely well intentioned, they end up being mostly condescending and out of place, as if talking about a completely helpless being. He is openly racist. He can't find a job on his own, unless it's among other…

>what can we do for him? can we find him assisted employment? What's really funny is that, from their perspective, "helping" him involves better integrating him into the world we all accept. But, there's nothing particularly "sane" or even healthy about that world.

There is a key difference between the worlds in question, though.

As Philip K. Dick said: “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.”

Should the mentally ill not be offered ways to participate in reality, simply because we find fault with the world?

Re: God's Lonely Programmer

#168

Post by angersock »

derefr wrote: post #107
GuiA wrote: post #40

I'm a huge fan of Terry's work, because he works hard, has a clear vision for what he wants to do, and makes it happen. That's more than can be said of many self-professed hackers who never see a project to completion or are motivated solely by peer recognition. You may disagree with the logical coherency of his goals - I for one think the "temple for God" thing is pure kookery - but he is a master craftsman, and in…

As you say. I think that in a sense, though, your opening is the most telling: > Terry ... works hard, has a clear vision for what he wants to do, and makes it happen. Mania is a double-edged sword. To not let anything stop you from your goals is to be unable to doubt that your goals, or the assumptions upon which they are based, are crazy. (This is an odd thing to ponder upon, as an entrepreneur.) There's a rising c…

Reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend from academia.

I'd been chatting about a mutual acquaintance who was behaving a bit oddly by normal standards, continually working very long and strange hours and focusing very hard on their startup. The conversation ended something like this:

"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that $friend has hypomania or something like that."

"Oh, really? Have they been diagnosed?"

"Diagnosed? Hah! In startupland, we don't say 'diagnosed'--we say 'funded'."

Re: God's Lonely Programmer

#169

Post by qb45 »

king_jester wrote: post #141
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every time his story comes up, there are people who respond with answers along the lines of "what can we do for him? can we find him assisted employment? can we raise money for him?" etc. While these comments are surely well intentioned, they end up being mostly condescending and out of place, as if talking about a completely helpless being. He is openly racist. He can't find a job on his own, unless it's among other…

> His racism probably isn't his fault. It's probably a factor of his condition. I don't know if his racism is the result of or related to his condition. However, even if it is, so what? Why exactly does that behavior get to be overlooked as though it doesn't have a real effect on people who suffer from it? Why does he get assistance to find a job while non-white people struggle to find work in tech?

He apparently knows a thing or two and gets stuff done. I'd hire him.

Re: God's Lonely Programmer

#170

Post by [deleted] »

btilly wrote: post #133
lomnakkus wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wrong. People may say racist things without necessarily being racist. The difference between "being X-ist" and "saying X-ist thing" is basically predicated on having a "persistent belief that X" or having a "momentary belief that X". (I'm using "belief" in the philosophical sense.)

I don't believe that you should be downvoted. If you read Paul Graham's essay http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html , it is clear that our current hypersensitivity to racism is a current moral fashion. You're not allowed to be racist, you're not allowed to think racist things, you're not even allowed to question our society's chosen approach to racism. Which is just silly. Facts remain facts even if we don't like them.…

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