4 ms·

So he had a lot of experiences. I don't find that inspiring. What did he invent or make? Whose lives did he make better?

by efitz 8y ago

TomVDB 8y ago
He inspired others.
nullandvoid 8y ago
I mean I think you may be missing the point of the story. Whilst I certainly look for satisfaction in inventing / making others life's better this guy is kind of winning at life in other ways. At stated in the article it seems he lives to learn and share knowledge gained through his adventures. He's visited 250 tribes I think it's fair to say the knowledge shared between those / few back to society are likely to be significant - just because 'he hasn't invented x' it doesn't mean contributions in other forms do not exist
- atomical 8y ago
  How would that compare to an anthropologist studying those tribes and then sharing that information through writing?
  - coldtea 8y ago
    He'd fare better in my books, because at least he didn't shed their mystery and betrayed their ways, just to write a book or to do his university work.
ip26 8y ago
Inventing something great but otherwise leading a miserable life might be noble, but it's not really something to strive for. Ideally we contribute in a meaningful way, as well as getting something out of life for ourselves.
coldtea 8y ago
>What did he invent or make? Whose lives did he make better? So, you'd be impressed if he had invented the post it note or some computer gizmo? Yeah, that would so much mean that his brief time on earth was well spent and not futile... Most people don't invent or make anything, and they don't make many other people's lives better (their family's maybe, if that). So there's that. Besides, if life is only meaningful when making others lives better, does that mean that those others' lives (and life in general) is meaningless in itself?
alexashka 8y ago
Is it surprising that some people love apples, and others oranges? This is for orange lovers, you're an apple guy/gal.
caymanjim 8y ago
I find it inspiring. I love to travel and explore, and while I've got nothing on this guy, I've done plenty of similar things. I don't find Steve Jobs inspiring. The guy was an egomaniac, treated people like shit, invented and innovated a lot, but didn't do it for altruistic reasons and did almost nothing to help even his own family, much less all of humanity. He made a lot of peoples' jobs easier and perhaps better in practical ways, but he's not an inspirational figure to me at all. You don't have to leave anything tangible behind to inspire others, and you can build a lot while still not being an inspiration.
BeetleB 8y ago
I'm having trouble wondering what the point of your comment is, and I do not want to try to "read between the lines". I am sure there are a lot of things that don't inspire you, yet I kind of doubt you spend much time going to all those forums explicitly pointing it out. Likewise, I suspect you wouldn't care much for people going to maker/inventor forums commenting on how inventions don't inspire them.

So he had a lot of experiences. I don't find that inspiring. What did he invent or make? Whose lives did he make better?

by efitz 8y ago

So he had a lot of experiences. I don't find that inspiring. What did he invent or make? Whose lives did he make better?

TomVDB 8y ago

He inspired others.

nullandvoid 8y ago

I mean I think you may be missing the point of the story. Whilst I certainly look for satisfaction in inventing / making others life's better this guy is kind of winning at life in other ways. At stated in the article it seems he lives to learn and share knowledge gained through his adventures. He's visited 250 tribes I think it's fair to say the knowledge shared between those / few back to society are likely to be significant - just because 'he hasn't invented x' it doesn't mean contributions in other forms do not exist

atomical 8y ago
How would that compare to an anthropologist studying those tribes and then sharing that information through writing?
- coldtea 8y ago
  He'd fare better in my books, because at least he didn't shed their mystery and betrayed their ways, just to write a book or to do his university work.

ip26 8y ago

Inventing something great but otherwise leading a miserable life might be noble, but it's not really something to strive for. Ideally we contribute in a meaningful way, as well as getting something out of life for ourselves.

coldtea 8y ago

>What did he invent or make? Whose lives did he make better? So, you'd be impressed if he had invented the post it note or some computer gizmo? Yeah, that would so much mean that his brief time on earth was well spent and not futile... Most people don't invent or make anything, and they don't make many other people's lives better (their family's maybe, if that). So there's that. Besides, if life is only meaningful when making others lives better, does that mean that those others' lives (and life in general) is meaningless in itself?

alexashka 8y ago

Is it surprising that some people love apples, and others oranges? This is for orange lovers, you're an apple guy/gal.

caymanjim 8y ago

I find it inspiring. I love to travel and explore, and while I've got nothing on this guy, I've done plenty of similar things. I don't find Steve Jobs inspiring. The guy was an egomaniac, treated people like shit, invented and innovated a lot, but didn't do it for altruistic reasons and did almost nothing to help even his own family, much less all of humanity. He made a lot of peoples' jobs easier and perhaps better in practical ways, but he's not an inspirational figure to me at all. You don't have to leave anything tangible behind to inspire others, and you can build a lot while still not being an inspiration.

BeetleB 8y ago

I'm having trouble wondering what the point of your comment is, and I do not want to try to "read between the lines". I am sure there are a lot of things that don't inspire you, yet I kind of doubt you spend much time going to all those forums explicitly pointing it out. Likewise, I suspect you wouldn't care much for people going to maker/inventor forums commenting on how inventions don't inspire them.