Aushin

Can someone explain to me what "real things" are in the context of the statement 'once you are using [insert language] for real things'?

Is there a a difficulty barrier for considering an application real? A lines of code requirement? Is it like pornography and I'll know it when I see it?

Which of his books or writings would I turn to if I want to hear him expound upon this in more detail (and if possible in an English translation of his own).

Any insight into why they think the concept of human nature is bunk? How are they defining human nature in the context of their debate?

Haha this is the video version of what people tell me happened. I still can't confirm for myself.

I don't think this holds up. WalMart choosing not to stock a product doesn't mean that the product won't be made at all. WalMart doesn't decide to stop stocking Hanes underwear because Hanes ships boxers to KMart and Target too.

Now maybe in some cases WalMart does demand exclusive right to sell something. But imagine they did it for EVERY. FUCKING. PRODUCT. I think people would get pretty pissed off. And rightfully so.

I've never been able to understand a word of him. I've seen the famous Chomsky/Foucault debate. I understood Chomsky perfectly well. Many people have informed me that Foucault completely bested him. I couldn't tell because I had no idea what the heck he was saying.

I told him my job was rather boring and he started telling me his opinions of drilling. Pretty funny even though it's not what I meant by bore.

IF what you're saying is the gnawing pain is awareness of the gap between who we are and who we want to be, then I agree completely.

"The pain OP feels is the realization he's a fraud"

Holy judgment, Batman! I think the gnawing pain he's experiencing is the FEAR that he's a fraud (which I think is far from a decided matter). What an awful thing to call him when all you've got to go on is a couple of paragraphs.

And honestly, I think ambition is probably a prerequisite for feeling the way he feels. Unambitious people are likely immune to feeling like they're wasting time.

Working on something original, that you're the sole creator of, that you're solely responsible for, is a TERRIFYING prospect no matter how much you love the work you put into it and no matter how ambitious you are.

Calling him a fraud because he hasn't figured out how to crack the existential barrier between what he wants to be doing and what he's doing is such an oversimplification of how people work that I'm actually a little offended FOR him.

Comments along these lines only perpetuate Great Man worldviews (which I also consider a gross oversimplification of how people operate).

I used to agree with this sentiment, but this essay changed my view: http://gawker.com/on-smarm-1476594977

In this case, I think it's because the general perception is that we're expected to praise him for this (Twitter announcement, press releases) and there is a backlash against that expectation.

Also I got downvoted for my first comment. I can't even imagine who took offense or why.

I disagree with the characterization of people who think he could have used his means more effectively than this as "ungrateful, entitled assholes."

Are we required to celebrate everything a wealthy man does with his money as long as it's not overtly bad?

I don't believe that would work. Because it doesn't specify that it's the sum of ANY three primes. For example, you can't take 21, subtract 7, subtract 5 and say that you have a prime. It has to be two specific primes.

I do not drive recklessly, get in trouble with the law, or change jobs like gloves. I am, by most accounts I would think, a normal, decent citizen. My credit is still pretty shot because I hurt my leg before I had health insurance or a job.

Life isn't so easy to summarize. Bad things happen to good people (whether I am one or not is another question).

Time and chance happeneth to them all, in short.

Thanks for the quick response. I'm a bit more at ease now. And the post was anything but silly. It makes a really powerful point!

Is it possible to be a semi-donkey? I have, if I were to try to count, 4 major 'things' going on in my life right now. One is keeping fit, one is keeping up with free online learning resources like Udacity, one is my job, and one is learning to play guitar.

Are you suggesting that if I don't drop three of those, I won't succeed in any of them? That worries me a bit, because the job part takes up LOTS and LOTS of time, far more than the other three combined.