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Nobody Cares (2011)

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Re: Nobody Cares (2011)

#11

Post by eichin »

akira2501 wrote: post #3

> Nobody Cares That's all an absurd and detached way of simply saying "keep your nose to the grindstone." > How could I have figured out that there would be 221 IPOs in 2000 and 19 in 2001? Could anybody expect me to achieve a reasonable outcome given those circumstances? What planet is this person from?

One where he was trying to raise more money after the early 2000 bubble exits; as a CEO working with a $900million valuation (source: random google hit from the book about loudcloud) he was probably also facing very little sympathy (nor did he particularly deserve any.)

Re: Nobody Cares (2011)

#12

Post by notnaut »

marshray wrote: post #10
Swizec wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another good way of phrasing this: Play the cards you have, not the cards you wish you had.

Try reading it again carefully?

There’s no shattering moment here. If you have something meaningful to share, state it plainly. Otherwise take your koans to koans r us.

Re: Nobody Cares (2011)

#13

Post by aaronbrethorst »

marshray wrote: post #4

The student approached the VC Master and said: "Master, I am troubled and have journeyed far to seek your legendary wisdom. My business has [specific problem X]. What should I do?" The VC Master replied: "Ah, I see your confusion. All the mental energy that you use to elaborate your misery has clouded your mind. The wise man spends zero time on what he could have done and all of his time on what he might do." In that…

    A monk approached the master and said,
    “Every koan by a software developer
    I’ve read would be better if plainly stated.”
    
    The master replied, “What is the plain statement?”

Re: Nobody Cares (2011)

#14

Post by bhaney »

notnaut wrote: post #12
marshray wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try reading it again carefully?

There’s no shattering moment here. If you have something meaningful to share, state it plainly. Otherwise take your koans to koans r us.

The master is clearly giving useless advice, but it's phrased as a koan so people are assuming that they're just misunderstanding it and that there's deeper meaning they're missing. The student is reasonably stating their problem for context, and then asking the master what to do about it. The master is responding with a lecture to not waste time "elaborating your misery" (which they didn't do) and telling the student to figure out what to do about it (which is exactly what the student asked in the first place).

It's poking fun.

Re: Nobody Cares (2011)

#15

Post by mizzao »

marshray wrote: post #4

The student approached the VC Master and said: "Master, I am troubled and have journeyed far to seek your legendary wisdom. My business has [specific problem X]. What should I do?" The VC Master replied: "Ah, I see your confusion. All the mental energy that you use to elaborate your misery has clouded your mind. The wise man spends zero time on what he could have done and all of his time on what he might do." In that…

Great story, except I would argue that "VC Master" is generally an oxymoron.

Re: Nobody Cares (2011)

#17

Post by nine_k »

mizzao wrote: post #15
marshray wrote: post #4

The student approached the VC Master and said: "Master, I am troubled and have journeyed far to seek your legendary wisdom. My business has [specific problem X]. What should I do?" The VC Master replied: "Ah, I see your confusion. All the mental energy that you use to elaborate your misery has clouded your mind. The wise man spends zero time on what he could have done and all of his time on what he might do." In that…

Great story, except I would argue that "VC Master" is generally an oxymoron.

Maybe it's the actual koan.

Re: Nobody Cares (2011)

#18

Post by chris_wot »

marshray wrote: post #4

The student approached the VC Master and said: "Master, I am troubled and have journeyed far to seek your legendary wisdom. My business has [specific problem X]. What should I do?" The VC Master replied: "Ah, I see your confusion. All the mental energy that you use to elaborate your misery has clouded your mind. The wise man spends zero time on what he could have done and all of his time on what he might do." In that…

He is asking about what he might do, and not on what he did. Confusing, but I've decided to all my mental energy into reading the next comment and not spend any more time on this koan.

Re: Nobody Cares (2011)

#20

Post by simpaticoder »

We often forget that ambivalence to others is the default human state. This is not an evil because if it were not so than every individual would be overwhelmed by empathizing with even a fraction of the suffering going on at any moment, and go mad. Yet this is also not good, as suffering is amplified by callous indifference of others. Who can read this riddle?
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