It's been 42 years since 'The Hitchhiker's Guide' answered the ultimate question • Hacker News Board

Re: It's been 42 years since 'The Hitchhiker's Guide' answered the ultimate question

#131

Post by ErrantX » Wed, Oct 20, 2021, 8:58 AM UTC

albrewer wrote: post #129

ErrantX wrote: post #95

Incidental and subjective opinion; but I do think that The Restaurant at the End of The Universe is the best book in the series. The commentary is deeper, the jokes are funnier and the story arc feels a lot less random whilst still being surreal. The scenes at the end of the book with the Golfrinchans is a masterclass in humourous writing with a truly nasty vein of bleakness. It also features the ultimate question, o…

The sapient cow that wants nothing more than to be eaten has stuck with me since the very first time I read it. It's like it was targeted right at militant vegans before there were militant vegans.

That whole piece is so Adams. It's a complete subplot, and the main plot happens interweaved and at the same time. Totally ridiculous. And I love how on the face its kinda stupid but then makes you think a bit about privilege... Wonderful.

Re: It's been 42 years since 'The Hitchhiker's Guide' answered the ultimate question

#132

Post by cwmoore » Wed, Oct 20, 2021, 10:11 PM UTC

FourthProtocol wrote: post #77

CobaltFire wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You statement that "in that depth and meaning are what I value" is an explicit argument that there is no depth or meaning in what other people here value. Your question can't be taken in good faith when that's the ground you plant your feet on. My opinion is that much of what Adams was getting across is that meaning is where and when you find it. Something that means nothing to others can mean the world to you, and v…

Maybe you're right. Maybe our understanding of "depth and meaning" is not quite the same. Some of us like apples, others oranges. Diversitry makes humanity awesome.

If this doesn't clear it up, at least someone tried:

Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - chapter 42

The Tao begot one.

One begot two.

Two begot three.

And three begot the ten thousand things.

The ten thousand things carry yin and embrace yang.

They achieve harmony by combining these forces.

Men hate to be "orphaned," "widowed," or "worthless,"

But this is how kings and lords describe themselves.

For one gains by losing

And loses by gaining.

What others teach, I also teach; that is:

"A violent man will die a violent death!"

This will be the essence of my teaching.

(translation by Gia-fu Feng and Jane English)

from: https://www.wussu.com/laotzu/laotzu42.html

Re: It's been 42 years since 'The Hitchhiker's Guide' answered the ultimate question

#133

Post by selimthegrim » Sat, Oct 23, 2021, 10:41 PM UTC

nickthemagicman wrote: post #23

dylan604 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But which ones and in which order? And in whose shoes?

Some guy who told me to try walking a mile in his shoes. So I beat him up and took his shoes.

At least then he didn't ask you where you got them.