Ask HN: What are you optimistic about? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: What are you optimistic about?

15 pointsAustin_Conlon19 comments

Humanity progressing in general. Tech is getting better, medicine space exploration, ai.

Sure some troubles like climate change ahead but if we don’t nuke ourselves then I reckon it’ll end up just fine

That I will live through another day. It isn't promised or guaranteed, but I'm quite optimistic that I'll make it.

As I get older, I am less and less optimistic.

I wish you luck!

The future of health, energy, quality of life, new food sources (lab grown, 3D printed, etc) and the potential to reduce impact on the environment.

What I'm not optimistic about it our ability to care for the planet. Our office is at a university, and there are restaurants on campus that serve food, on real plates, but only have take away coffee cups. I'm not blaming "kids these days", because it isn't an age thing. I see people everywhere not caring about the amount of single use plastics being used.

Aside from the environment, what else is there to NOT be optimistic about? Sure, we can say that income inequality is growing, which is true, but I've always wondered if we shouldn't be focused more on quality of life rather than the difference in size between 2 people's bank accounts.

Meat alternatives, both cultured and plant-based. Over the years I have seen more and more options come on the market here and they've gotten _really good_. I'm optimistic and happy about the huge variety of meat alternative choices in my local grocery store these days.

I think that in the long run, computers will eventually be made secure. It'll require a mind-shift away from ambient authority, but it will happen. Likely in 10-20 years. At that point, it'll be as safe to run any random piece of code as it is to plug in any random appliance into a wall outlet.

I also believe that computing will eventually outgrow the Von Neuman model of computation for many, if not most, tasks. The idea that 99.999% of the transistors in a computer are just sitting, waiting, will seem silly in retrospect.

I believe that we'll find new deeper laws of physics that allow us to generate energy at a far cheaper, and renewable manner that even fission/fusion are capable of today. I want my personal megawatt box that doesn't emit excess heat, nor use fuel.

Close agree on 1 and 2, not well educated enough on 3.

Current mechanisms of computing and the way things like security build up from them seem so unnatural, so unbeautiful. I think we'll see something soon.

That I'll hit my goal of a 100kg bench press this year.

That's a ton of weight - rooting for you. That's a massive goal to hit, especially on a bench. How long have you been training?

Appreciate it mate! Been training on and off for about 6 years, but mostly neglecting chest to train legs!

What're your goals with lifting?

Future generations. They are less burdened with the baggage we bear. My fear, of course, is that we olds have irrevocably damaged the physical world they will have to live in.

That the Western world is still improving, contrary to popular belief. It's a lot of "2 steps forward, 1 step back", but it's still progress

So are large chunks of the eastern world. East, South and South East Asia are improving by leaps and bounds.

i recently landed a job that would significantly improve the quality of life not only for myself but my family

Many congratulations to you!

Music: improving playing various instruments, playing in my band and doing some home recording

My kids: watching them grow and change

Work: gradually learning new skills after 25yrs in the industry

Fitness: up and down, but I like to think I can continue to improve even with setbacks

Civic cybersecurity and helping people have better, mentally healthier digital lives. https://cybershow.uk

Buying a home

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