I'm 20, brilliant and totally lost • Hacker News Board

Re: I'm 20, brilliant and totally lost

#71

Post by jimmyrcom » Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 7:15 PM UTC

unalone wrote: post #46

jimmyrcom wrote: post #36

The 'I want to make video games' for a living is like hearing a teen girl enthusiastically brag about having great style sense and wanting to be a fashion designer or a poet because the things she writes are 'deep'(depressed with loaded words). These statements are so common it can feel disgusting. The counterstrike neckbeards of my generation would always go into CS half assed, learn java and usually not do it as a…

I'm younger than this guy was in the article. My next door neighbor just went off to college to become a fashion designer. A handful of my friends became poets. A few friends of mine are forming a video game company. I don't see the point in bashing somebody because they like something. Very often, those people that try something and turn out to be terrible find what they love in the process. Why insult them?

It's not insulting them, it's looking at them as if they're naive because they don't know half the other guys or girls also secretly want to be the some thing. I have yet to meet anyone that's become a poet as a career choice. It doesn't pay. Only a handful of those girls ever become fashion designers. It's like looking at a little kid saying I want to be a policeman, fireman or doctor. All the little kids at 5 years old seemed to pick one of the three. You give them encouragement with a smirk and always expect things to change. The professor has the right to his opinion and to give his personal recommendation when asked. A person who has the balls to tell you you're wrong when he/she really feels that way should be respected not demonized. This should not be an earth shattering visionary destroying event if he recommends the contrary to what you want based on experience. I think the author exaggerates and throws the blame outward way too much.

Re: I'm 20, brilliant and totally lost

#72

Post by jimmyrcom » Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 7:25 PM UTC

soundphed wrote: post #58

jimmyrcom wrote: post #36

The 'I want to make video games' for a living is like hearing a teen girl enthusiastically brag about having great style sense and wanting to be a fashion designer or a poet because the things she writes are 'deep'(depressed with loaded words). These statements are so common it can feel disgusting. The counterstrike neckbeards of my generation would always go into CS half assed, learn java and usually not do it as a…

Your analogy falls short at the end there... A teenage girl bragging about her fashion sense or poetic style does not directly equate to the statement 'I want to make video games'. Unless, of course, you are implying that anyone who makes that statement has already tried and failed at creating successful video games and are now doomed and hopeless before they even hit the campus floor (as I am assuming that teenage g…

It's like the people who audition for american idol. They secretly feel they can sing at the highest but only a handful of them are good at singing. If they knew there's a huge amount of people that think they're geniuses at singing and actually suck they'll more carefully re-evaluate themselves. Turns out there's a huge amount of people that got CS majors just because they felt it fitting after spending half their life on the computer playing games. Programmers that don't have side projects and don't do it for fun will be way inferior to those who do.

Re: I'm 20, brilliant and totally lost

#73

Post by morphir » Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 7:25 PM UTC

I think this article roots to the kids narcissism - just because you have an high IQ, does not mean you will become somewhat more important, more powerful or more successful than "Joe the plumber". Let me ask you this: Was Godel happy? Was Alan Turing happy? Even though they both were brilliant and had academic success, still - their personal lives was pretty much a sad state of affairs, and depression characterized their lives. Brilliance and success is not happiness. You are 20 (!) - I was around 25 before I found my academic passion, which by that gave me a inner calm. I wish you the best of luck. But to expect every piece to fall at place at the age of 20 is plain naive, actually a bit provoking. In addition to the large tasks here in life (like education and career) the small enjoyments like coffee in the morning, listening to the birds, getting a proper workout - is what keeps you smiling, or at least, it's what makes my day swell.

Re: I'm 20, brilliant and totally lost

#74

Post by giardini » Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 7:27 PM UTC

When asked them what they want to become, a number of nerdy boys I know (cousins, nephews, etc.) have answered "I want to make video games!". Knowing that it is a competitive subfield of an already-competitive IT industry, I always encouraged them to look for alternatives.

The guy should get a physical. He may have low thyroid, anemia, etc. The cure may be as simple as taking an iron tablet occasionally.

Re: I'm 20, brilliant and totally lost

#75

Post by giardini » Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 7:34 PM UTC

zackattack wrote: post #65

clistctrl wrote: post #18

The women did it to him, I've said it before, and i'm going to say it again. If you want to be king of productivity, avoid girls.

Stop downvoting him. Sublimated sex drive is an incredibly powerful force, and drives thousands of people to take up positions in society (doctor, lawyer, programmer) instead of wandering the earth, content with food and drink.

Is sexual sublimation considered a valid psychological concept these days? Isn't this part of Freud's theories and isn't most of that considered defunct?

Re: I'm 20, brilliant and totally lost

#76

Post by ErrantX » Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 7:35 PM UTC

I was above average intelligence in a school with a slightly below average age group. As a result I stood intellectually taller than my peers and breezed through.

I was brought up with my parents doting on me telling me I was brilliant and destined to great things.

As a result I was a little shit at 18.

It was university that brought me crashing down, gave me social skills, got me laid and focused my education. But that was only by luck (I changed course at the last minute - my original choice would have been easy as school).

However it never found me a purpose or passion (beyond an enjoyment of "hacking" and programming). I left university a much nicer person but just as lost.

Now it's only 18 months later but I have a real serious career and a passion and am doing pretty good. Again that was total luck.

Sounds like this guy is just getting to the "lost" section; don't worry it will figure itself out. It might take a couple of years (I know a guy who it took till about 31 to really sort out what he wanted). But the fact he is asking means he is on the right path.

Best advice I believe you can give people like that is dont think too far ahead - I still want to be a millionaire playboy at 30 with 10's of businesses behind me. But thankfully now I know that is just a dream to help drive me to whatever success I do end up with. It might well be as good as that - probably not. But hell, ill bumble along ok regardless :)

Or in summary: this shit generally works itself out so long as you work hard on the moment in hand.

EDIT: I see a few people trashing the armed forces option. I couldn't disagree more. If you make the decision in the right way and understand what your signing up too it could be a great experience. No need to worry about your ling term future for the moment :)

Re: I'm 20, brilliant and totally lost

#77

Post by bitwize » Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 7:43 PM UTC

soundphed wrote: post #58

jimmyrcom wrote: post #36

The 'I want to make video games' for a living is like hearing a teen girl enthusiastically brag about having great style sense and wanting to be a fashion designer or a poet because the things she writes are 'deep'(depressed with loaded words). These statements are so common it can feel disgusting. The counterstrike neckbeards of my generation would always go into CS half assed, learn java and usually not do it as a…

Your analogy falls short at the end there... A teenage girl bragging about her fashion sense or poetic style does not directly equate to the statement 'I want to make video games'. Unless, of course, you are implying that anyone who makes that statement has already tried and failed at creating successful video games and are now doomed and hopeless before they even hit the campus floor (as I am assuming that teenage g…

I'm 32. I still want to make videogames but I don't want to work for Shit-A. I want to hole up in a log cabin somewhere and code till my eyes ache. Like Jeff Minter. (I seem to recall a comment from John Carmack along similar lines when he wanted to try a rendering technique: something like "I did what I normally do. I locked myself in a hotel room for three days and coded it up.")

Oh well. Until I have that log cabin in the woods my day job involves robot submarines, which is as awesome as it sounds.

Re: I'm 20, brilliant and totally lost

#78

Post by nalbyuites » Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 7:43 PM UTC

Having gone through a similar phase recently, I can relate a lot to this guy. In my case, I was just plain lazy and irresponsible. For me, sitting about and wondering about 'the purpose' was a way of justifying not working in my grad courses. How many people really do manage to find their purpose in life? I would take SamAtt's insurmountable odds and extend them to every second of life. In all the moments that you have till death, you can do so many things, sitting and moping should just feel wrong. (I wish I followed my own advice.) I don't know the guy, but I feel such thoughts arise from an easy-going and leisurely life. People growing up with uncertain futures and/or troubled circumstances/times (in the so-called Third World) seem to be much clearer about what to do. Making meaning of your life is much easier when you have a hungry family to feed back home. You can't be bothered about your 'true calling' then. I don't know which case is better for an individual's peace of mind. Being more aware of one's mortality can help, perhaps.

Re: I'm 20, brilliant and totally lost

#79

Post by bitwize » Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 7:47 PM UTC

giardini wrote: post #75

zackattack wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Stop downvoting him. Sublimated sex drive is an incredibly powerful force, and drives thousands of people to take up positions in society (doctor, lawyer, programmer) instead of wandering the earth, content with food and drink.

Is sexual sublimation considered a valid psychological concept these days? Isn't this part of Freud's theories and isn't most of that considered defunct?

Paul Erdős never married or had kids; that biological fact alone is thought to account for his prolific mathematical output (and why we have an Erdős number).

Re: I'm 20, brilliant and totally lost

#80

Post by potatolicious » Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 8:00 PM UTC

bitwize wrote: post #79

giardini wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is sexual sublimation considered a valid psychological concept these days? Isn't this part of Freud's theories and isn't most of that considered defunct?

Paul Erdős never married or had kids; that biological fact alone is thought to account for his prolific mathematical output (and why we have an Erdős number).

But what if I want to marry/have kids, and don't give a hoot about my mathematical output?

Whatever makes people happy eh? Not everyone needs to be an Einstein.