> Don’t work. Avoid telling the truth. Be hated. Love someone.
Is the essay is a lie?
Don’t work. Be hated. Love someone. (2008)
31–40 of 107 posts
Re: Don’t work. Be hated. Love someone. (2008)
#32Age 10, me: "I want to be a professional baseball player." Others: "Get serious, you'll never be good enough." Age 16, me: "I want to publish comic books." Others: "Get serious, that's no way to make a living." Age 22, me: "I want to teach math." Others: "Get serious. You'll never make much money that way." Age 30, me: "I want to publish my own software." Others: "Get serious. No one will buy yours over some big comp…
While very few standup comics make Louis CK money (and don't forget how long it took him to get there) there are tons of working professional ones you've probably never heard of. It's very similar to music in that way. If you're willing to work hard at it you'll probably get to where you can make a decent living within a couple years, even if you never end up with your own HBO special.
My understanding is that the realistic way a musician makes a living without "making it" is session recording and teaching. What's the equivalent of that for comics?
Re: Don’t work. Be hated. Love someone. (2008)
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
Recent college grad here too. Strongly suggest that. Work just enough to get by, pay the bills, eat, etc. Dedicate atleast 2-3 hours, completley focues and uninterrupted, to your passion,purpose, craft. Or socialize purposefully - building relationships and allies sort of speak.
> Or socialize purposefully - building relationships and allies sort of speak. I would probably agree with this a couple of months ago but I don't know any more. I just love meeting people, everyone is so different and interesting. Your approach is great if the only thing that's going to make you happy is money and success but I've realised, only just lately for me, that it's not everything. Just do what ever maximis…
Why did you drag money into the conversation where it wasn't before, and then try to pin it on someone else?
Re: Don’t work. Be hated. Love someone. (2008)
#34but does it really make sense loving someone when you are not loved back? that is hard work. and it hurts. but i just might got it all wrong.
That is a very tough question. I think there could probably have been space for expansion on that particular thought. It seems… Odd for someone to say that when they are happily married. Perhaps he is using the broader definition of love that includes love of friends. Still, he does use the singular: find some one to love. Yeah, this part's got me a little confused, too, not gonna lie :p
I think he's just saying don't love because you need the reciprocation of love, love because you love the other person for whom they are. It's hard, but that should be decoupled from whether or not they love you, if you are honest with yourself.
Re: Don’t work. Be hated. Love someone. (2008)
#35I'm not impressed with this essay. It makes contrarian statements against common wisdom which have some value but I feel are being miscommunicated for mere shock value. I much preferred David Foster Wallace's commencement speech: "This Is Water" [0] which really struck a chord with me.
> Don't work.
I would rephrase as "Don't do something you hate" or perhaps even better: "Find what you love and do that". I generally enjoy my work and I'd be unhappy if I stopped working... In fact, I make very little distinction between work and play. (I also enjoy learning but apparently I should quit that, too!)
> Be hated.
Earning people's hate is often a strong signal that you are causing them some kind of harm. But when should you care? I don't think you should care about everybody's hatred equally, if you were liked or loved by somebody with opposing values it would signify miscommunication on your part. Perhaps you should care about the opinions of the people you love -- choose your own authority in others! --, and greater than this, you should care about your own opinion of yourself: "Am I the man I wish to be?"
Re: Don’t work. Be hated. Love someone. (2008)
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
While very few standup comics make Louis CK money (and don't forget how long it took him to get there) there are tons of working professional ones you've probably never heard of. It's very similar to music in that way. If you're willing to work hard at it you'll probably get to where you can make a decent living within a couple years, even if you never end up with your own HBO special.
My understanding is that the realistic way a musician makes a living without "making it" is session recording and teaching. What's the equivalent of that for comics?
Local clubs and improv/comedy classes?
Re: Don’t work. Be hated. Love someone. (2008)
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
While very few standup comics make Louis CK money (and don't forget how long it took him to get there) there are tons of working professional ones you've probably never heard of. It's very similar to music in that way. If you're willing to work hard at it you'll probably get to where you can make a decent living within a couple years, even if you never end up with your own HBO special.
My understanding is that the realistic way a musician makes a living without "making it" is session recording and teaching. What's the equivalent of that for comics?
Indie publishing and art classes.
Edit: Oops. Wrong "comics".
Re: Don’t work. Be hated. Love someone. (2008)
#38tl/dr: He is a fricking litigator and claims that what he does isn't work and that you shouldn't work, because work kills.
Re: Don’t work. Be hated. Love someone. (2008)
#39Interesting piece, one part struck at me as a bit ironic, and overly lawyerly.
On one hand the author says:
"The truth has a great capacity to offend and injure, and you will find that the closer you are to someone, the more care you must take to disguise or even conceal the truth."
and
"Often, there is great virtue in being evasive, or equivocating....It takes great maturity to appreciate the value of silence."
On the other hand he says:
"Every great figure who has contributed to the human race has been hated, not just by one person, but often by a great many. That hatred is so strong it has caused those great figures to be shunned, abused, murdered and in one famous instance, nailed to a cross. ... It is far too easy to be liked, one merely has to be accommodating and hold no strong convictions."
There is great contradiction in these two opposing statements.
First of all - the example that he cites, Jesus being nailed to the cross, is a fallacy. Jesus was killed as a direct result of his truth telling at all times, convenient and not - and his sticking to his convictions.
Second - I wonder if greatness, or love or hatred for that matter is worth achieving if you not been honest in attaining it. If you withhold the truth you feel in your heart, feel comfort in silence and make sure not to step on any toes - the recognition that you receive must also be a false one.
Greatness made by silencing the truth follows "be loved"
Both require "much compromise. If one changes one’s looks, personality and values, one can be loved by anyone."
Re: Don’t work. Be hated. Love someone. (2008)
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Or socialize purposefully - building relationships and allies sort of speak. I would probably agree with this a couple of months ago but I don't know any more. I just love meeting people, everyone is so different and interesting. Your approach is great if the only thing that's going to make you happy is money and success but I've realised, only just lately for me, that it's not everything. Just do what ever maximis…
Why did you drag money into the conversation where it wasn't before, and then try to pin it on someone else?
Apologies, I falsely assumed 'socialize purposefully' meant to socialise with successful people in aid of personal success.