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The Ultimate Guide To Getting Nowhere In Life

garyharan.com

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Re: The Ultimate Guide To Getting Nowhere In Life

#3
Well said. A 9-5 job is a great way for time to disappear into a void that you'll never get back. If you're not paying attention, you'll lose years to something like this.

I know everyone isn't suited for entrepreneurial life, but as a talented developer you can always join a startup as employee 5+ and get a reasonable amount of security and pay, with a chance of a good-sized upside.

Even if you're happy in a 9-5, medium/big company job, do yourself a favour and keep that buffer around. There are so many things you can do with it to improve you life and buy yourself freedom - more than just buying stuff for cash.

Re: The Ultimate Guide To Getting Nowhere In Life

#5
How demeaning. Agree with some of it but notice how there is nothing here about anything else you might like to do with your life outside of having a job and owning a business. Like a wife and a family.

A 9-5 job is pretty much great in those circumstances if you just want to enjoy life - I work for a 10 person company and I've seen what the owner has gone through in the last 10 years it's been going - he has no life. Obviously it doesn't have to be like that for everyone, but if I have to choose between my family and slogging my guts out for something which may or not pay off and consume all my time - I know which one I'd pick.

Re: The Ultimate Guide To Getting Nowhere In Life

#6

Even the life he describes is pretty damn good by historical standards.

Yeah, I think his idea of failure is a lot of people's idea of success: a reasonably comfortable 40 hour/wk job that pays well and doesn't involve risks of getting your arm chopped off in machinery, and a bunch of free time & money to spend on entertainment. Not what I'd choose to do, but neither are lots of things; I wouldn't choose to work at a tech company that expects you to carry a pager, work nights/weekends, and thinks it owns your life, either.

(I do agree that saving a bit of money is good for pretty much everyone; buffers come in handy.)

Re: The Ultimate Guide To Getting Nowhere In Life

#7
I think his offhand implication that reading books is superior to TV is wrong.

Most fiction has exactly the same purpose and function on TV, which is to entertain. Yes, reading some books makes you "cultured" but so does TV; just to a different culture. I consider watching all the latest sci fi to be just as "culturing" as reading all the latest sci fi.

Re: The Ultimate Guide To Getting Nowhere In Life

#8
post #7

I think his offhand implication that reading books is superior to TV is wrong. Most fiction has exactly the same purpose and function on TV, which is to entertain. Yes, reading some books makes you "cultured" but so does TV; just to a different culture. I consider watching all the latest sci fi to be just as "culturing" as reading all the latest sci fi.

Reading makes you better at reading (duh) and writing. Two essential skills that are used daily.

What skills does your TV gives to you?

Re: The Ultimate Guide To Getting Nowhere In Life

#9
post #8
post #7

I think his offhand implication that reading books is superior to TV is wrong. Most fiction has exactly the same purpose and function on TV, which is to entertain. Yes, reading some books makes you "cultured" but so does TV; just to a different culture. I consider watching all the latest sci fi to be just as "culturing" as reading all the latest sci fi.

Reading makes you better at reading (duh) and writing. Two essential skills that are used daily. What skills does your TV gives to you?

Ability to connect with strangers through mutual ties to 'pop culture'

Re: The Ultimate Guide To Getting Nowhere In Life

#10
post #7

I think his offhand implication that reading books is superior to TV is wrong. Most fiction has exactly the same purpose and function on TV, which is to entertain. Yes, reading some books makes you "cultured" but so does TV; just to a different culture. I consider watching all the latest sci fi to be just as "culturing" as reading all the latest sci fi.

I find reading a book engages and involves my mind much more. I'm not going to argue superiority, but there's a reason watching TV is known in slang as 'vegging out'.
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