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Life Is Short (2016)

paulgraham.com

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Re: Life Is Short (2016)

#71

Post by watwut »

10x_contrarian wrote: post #29
ElFitz wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If anything, human life got remarkably longer in the last century. Well, yes and no. That we live longer than our ancestors seems obvious and is a very common belief. And average life expectancy has indeed increased. But it really isn’t that clear cut. For example: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20181002-how-long-did-anc...

I feel it's destructive for people to hold this incorrect belief. People living into their 60s and 70s was very common for all of recorded history. By ignoring this, modern people are less incentivized to criticize and challenge their modern lives and the societies we live within.

Average person lives longer new. Literally deadly diseases are non-issues now. Whole classes of malnutrition related disabilities that used to be frequent basically don't exist anymore, to the point where many people don't even know it existed.

Re: Life Is Short (2016)

#72

Post by watwut »

jaakl wrote: post #26
ElFitz wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If anything, human life got remarkably longer in the last century. Well, yes and no. That we live longer than our ancestors seems obvious and is a very common belief. And average life expectancy has indeed increased. But it really isn’t that clear cut. For example: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20181002-how-long-did-anc...

The only thing what has changed is childhood mortality. If you take statistical lifetime of most animals (say frogs) and count in all offspring with hope to describe their average life duration then it would be low number of seconds. Human as such seems to have always same lifespan programmed in, just natural early mortality has been taken away. Basic statistical bias. Does almost removed early mortality really make…

This is not true. Humans died on injuries and sickness that are easily treatable now. They used to be more frequent and deadly.

Humans got frequently born with disabilities because malnutrition in pregnancy (like a lack of iodine) that just don't happen anymore in West.

There were whole classes of these issues that killed people and just don't exist anymore.

Re: Life Is Short (2016)

#73

Post by msie »

At 51, I am trying to come to grips with wasting my life in my 20s, 30s and 40s. I don't remember doing anything memorable during that time. I spent too much time doing bullshit programming or doing the same old comfortable things with friends. I wish I dated more. Tried more things that young people can do. I was too scared to make mistakes. Now I can't go back. It's driving me nuts.

Re: Life Is Short (2016)

#74

Post by anhner »

AussieWog93 wrote: post #59
selfawareMammal wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's still a social construct. As knowledge and science advance, the need for religion decreases and it's really on us to accept there are some questions we cannot answer.

>As knowledge and science advance, the need for religion decreases Citation needed, massively! If anything, the powerful technology and knowledge we now wield (weapons of mass destruction, mass surveillance, modern logistics and coordination, global communications) only makes it more important that we don't forget the hard-earned scoial and moral lessons of our pre-scientific ancestors - lessons that were often encod…

Ah yes, the hard earned social lesson of not wearing mixed fibers. Or not allowing women on their period to share the bed of their husband.

Re: Life Is Short (2016)

#75

Post by FartyMcFarter »

msie wrote: post #73

At 51, I am trying to come to grips with wasting my life in my 20s, 30s and 40s. I don't remember doing anything memorable during that time. I spent too much time doing bullshit programming or doing the same old comfortable things with friends. I wish I dated more. Tried more things that young people can do. I was too scared to make mistakes. Now I can't go back. It's driving me nuts.

You still have plenty of time left to do cool things.

Re: Life Is Short (2016)

#76

Post by yarrowy »

twblalock wrote: post #64
kubb wrote: post #38

This makes you think that Paul would be interested in fighting for a world where people don't waste most of their short lives in bullshit corporate jobs because the market demands it, and instead can focus on important things like their families.

If everyone behaved like that, our society wouldn't have the wealth needed to make anyone's lives comfortable and secure, except for the lives of the rich. A job that provides an income to a worker, and generates wealth for society, is not bullshit -- even if all it involves is making crappy consumer products, or working on an assembly line, or doing paperwork all day. In fact, such jobs are the reason the majority o…

Universal Basic income would solve those problems. Eventually AI and automation should perform all the mundane jobs which is a good thing but we need to provide basic sustenance for everyone.

Re: Life Is Short (2016)

#77

Post by gabaix »

yarrowy wrote: post #76
twblalock wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If everyone behaved like that, our society wouldn't have the wealth needed to make anyone's lives comfortable and secure, except for the lives of the rich. A job that provides an income to a worker, and generates wealth for society, is not bullshit -- even if all it involves is making crappy consumer products, or working on an assembly line, or doing paperwork all day. In fact, such jobs are the reason the majority o…

Universal Basic income would solve those problems. Eventually AI and automation should perform all the mundane jobs which is a good thing but we need to provide basic sustenance for everyone.

We can do much better in automation.

Entrepreneurs I know are reluctant to hire because it does not scale. Yet they do hire, slowly and surely. They need these jobs, as they cannot grow without it.

Similarly they complain about the lack of talent. Most of the people they value do not want the regular job that they offer. They need the people who want the regular jobs.

I am sure this will change. Yet today it is the reality.

Re: Life Is Short (2016)

#78

Post by lgas »

fsflover wrote: post #66
tobylane wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Humanism fills that need. It doesn’t matter that it’s new, Islam and Christianity were new once, and corrupted since.

Why should one choose humanism instead of personal prosperity (egoism)? Religions have an answer. Humanism AFAIK doesn't.

What is religions' answer? "Because Sky daddy said so"?

Re: Life Is Short (2016)

#79

Post by AussieWog93 »

anhner wrote: post #74
AussieWog93 wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>As knowledge and science advance, the need for religion decreases Citation needed, massively! If anything, the powerful technology and knowledge we now wield (weapons of mass destruction, mass surveillance, modern logistics and coordination, global communications) only makes it more important that we don't forget the hard-earned scoial and moral lessons of our pre-scientific ancestors - lessons that were often encod…

Ah yes, the hard earned social lesson of not wearing mixed fibers. Or not allowing women on their period to share the bed of their husband.

Please don't make comments like this on HN.

Nobody was making the argument that extremely specific religious quirks like this are encode knowledge important to the wise use of modern technology.

Re: Life Is Short (2016)

#80

Post by scoot »

yarrowy wrote: post #76
twblalock wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If everyone behaved like that, our society wouldn't have the wealth needed to make anyone's lives comfortable and secure, except for the lives of the rich. A job that provides an income to a worker, and generates wealth for society, is not bullshit -- even if all it involves is making crappy consumer products, or working on an assembly line, or doing paperwork all day. In fact, such jobs are the reason the majority o…

Universal Basic income would solve those problems. Eventually AI and automation should perform all the mundane jobs which is a good thing but we need to provide basic sustenance for everyone.

A world where the only thing that people contribute is more people.
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