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Comment by autonomousErwin | Hacker News Reader

I think it's fundamentally important to care deeply about some things e.g. your craft. As you tend to find joy when you're deep in flow state.I'd also add:

* Don't argue with people on the internet

You'd be inherently happier, also:

* Enjoy irony when you can

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Arguing is enjoyable and helps build the foundation of your beliefs IMO. Where people go wrong is expecting the other person to be converted to your beliefs or swayed by your argument. Even given the exact same data, evidence, and information, people can naturally and logically come to different conclusions. And ultimately, people will choose to believe (or not) what they want.

There's really something quite magical when you're having a debate with someone with vastly different views but they're reasonable and you both find common ground. Probably a good indication of partner compatibility - I don't think it's healthy if you and your partner have exactly the same views.

It certainly reflects my experience. A lot of my friends I people I will have arguments, frequently on topics that make people emotional and on which we have very different views: politics (including Brexit!), religion, gender identity, and so on.

On the other hand that was not true of my EX-wife.

You're right, but sometimes you gotta realise you're being trolled or the person you're arguing with is not arguing in good faith. Maybe that's what he meant.

Still. At a minimum the troll will have fun, and when you notice it you can troll in return

I've found that caring deeply about one's craft leads to being unhappy when the craft isn't perfect, unhappy with teammates who don't care as much as they do, unhappy with an industry that doesn't focus on the craft, unhappy with the customer who doesn't respect the end result, etc. That leads to conflict, and then nobody is happy. You can still care without caring deeply.

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