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When I was a kid my mom would complain about how the world was out to get her. She didn't frame it that way, but that's essentially what she was saying. One tim

by jshen 16y ago

When I was a kid my mom would complain about how the world was out to get her. She didn't frame it that way, but that's essentially what she was saying. One time she was complaining about lawyers because she was charged $300/hr or something like that. I asked her, "why don't you become a lawyer?" It made sense to me as a 12 year old and still does.

deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
timr 16y ago
I don't know your mom, and I don't know what she is or isn't capable of doing. I also don't think it's helpful to believe that the word is out to get you, regardless of personal situation. But that said, you're absolutely delusional if you think that everyone in this country who wants to become a lawyer or a doctor or a better-paid whatever is capable of doing it. There are a million different reasons why most people will never become lawyers or doctors...or computer programmers. The reasons are all quite real, even if you've never had the misfortune of experiencing them: some people are born into grinding poverty. Others are never educated while young. Many people just aren't intellectually gifted. It isn't their fault, and nearly everyone I've met is doing the best they can with whatever they've got. Right now, there are thousands of people accumulating debt in third-tier law schools trying to do what you suggested to your mother -- but most will never get anywhere, no matter how hard they work. There are culinary schools full of aspiring chefs, vocational schools full of people trying to learn their way into a trade, and literally millions of other people who have been told that their lost factory job can be replaced with something better, if only they spend enough time in community college. Just because you had the disproportionate good luck to be born into a situation where you can become whatever you desire, does not mean that everyone else in our society has been granted equivalent opportunity by the big genetic lottery. Said another way: empathy is a useful skill, but you don't have much of it when you're 12.
- jshen 16y ago
  I was born to a single drug addict, into a family in which no one had finished high school, and spent part of my childhood on food stampes. I understand empathy and that I lucked out in some ways, but I had anything but disproportionate good luck. I enlisted in the army at 17 and spent a year deployed. That's how I paid for college. "It isn't their fault, and nearly everyone I've met is doing the best they can with whatever they've got." While I agree with your general sentiment, most people are not doing the best they can. You know what I do 3 nights a week? I have a study regimen, right now I'm working my way through a probability book. A lot of people that could be doing the same thing are playing WoW or watching Big Brother. I have a 1 year old and a 3 year old, and I still make time to study on top of my job as an engineer, which pretty much means that I don't watch t.v., play video games, etc. Most people don't make that sacrifice.
  - timr 16y ago
    "I was born to a single drug addict and into a family in which no one had finished high school. I understand empathy and that I lucked out in some ways, but I had anything but disproportionate good luck. I enlisted in the army at 17 and spent a year deployed. That's how I paid for college." Fair enough. I'm not trying to take away from your accomplishments. But remember that there are kids born to single, drug-addicted parents all over the world. Most won't be able to overcome their situation, and it's hardly their fault. "A lot of people that could be doing the same thing are playing WoW or watching Big Brother. I have a 1 year old and a 3 year old, and I still make time to study on top of my job as an engineer, which pretty much means that I don't watch t.v., play video games, etc. Most people don't make that sacrifice." I don't think it's fair to make that kind of generalization. There are always people who squander their opportunity, but that's not a reason to slight the rest. Whatever you're doing tonight, there are hundreds of thousands of other people doing the same thing. Not all of them will be as successful as you will be, and some others will be more successful than you. How will you feel when you meet the more successful person, and she tells you that you didn't work hard enough?
    - jshen 16y ago
      Why would I care, I'm happy with my life. Anyone that learns to program a computer and is decent at it can get a good job if they live in america barring a few extreme examples.
- blacksmythe 16y ago
  Certainly not everyone has the opportunity to be a lawyer. However, any software engineers with the skill to be employee #1 at a startup has the ability to start a company (perhaps a more modest one than the one they are joining).
  - jessedhillon 16y ago
    It takes much more than software engineering skills to start a startup. You need ambition and determination more than you need any particular engineering skills. And you need to be charismatic enough to convince other people that you are not one of the 90% of entrepreneurs who will fail, that you are exceptional.
WalterBright 16y ago
It reminds me of a story my dad told me. His secretary complained to him that "garbagemen make more than me." He suggested that she quit and get a job hauling garbage. Her answer? "No way, that's a dirty, disgusting job."
antihero 16y ago
Probably too busy raising you. It's nice to have a simplistic 12 year old's attitude in thinking you can just do stuff if you want, but life is full of so many factors. Right wingers especially seem to have this child-like mindset.

by jshen 16y ago

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

timr 16y ago

I don't know your mom, and I don't know what she is or isn't capable of doing. I also don't think it's helpful to believe that the word is out to get you, regardless of personal situation. But that said, you're absolutely delusional if you think that everyone in this country who wants to become a lawyer or a doctor or a better-paid whatever is capable of doing it. There are a million different reasons why most people will never become lawyers or doctors...or computer programmers. The reasons are all quite real, even if you've never had the misfortune of experiencing them: some people are born into grinding poverty. Others are never educated while young. Many people just aren't intellectually gifted. It isn't their fault, and nearly everyone I've met is doing the best they can with whatever they've got. Right now, there are thousands of people accumulating debt in third-tier law schools trying to do what you suggested to your mother -- but most will never get anywhere, no matter how hard they work. There are culinary schools full of aspiring chefs, vocational schools full of people trying to learn their way into a trade, and literally millions of other people who have been told that their lost factory job can be replaced with something better, if only they spend enough time in community college. Just because you had the disproportionate good luck to be born into a situation where you can become whatever you desire, does not mean that everyone else in our society has been granted equivalent opportunity by the big genetic lottery. Said another way: empathy is a useful skill, but you don't have much of it when you're 12.

jshen 16y ago
I was born to a single drug addict, into a family in which no one had finished high school, and spent part of my childhood on food stampes. I understand empathy and that I lucked out in some ways, but I had anything but disproportionate good luck. I enlisted in the army at 17 and spent a year deployed. That's how I paid for college. "It isn't their fault, and nearly everyone I've met is doing the best they can with whatever they've got." While I agree with your general sentiment, most people are not doing the best they can. You know what I do 3 nights a week? I have a study regimen, right now I'm working my way through a probability book. A lot of people that could be doing the same thing are playing WoW or watching Big Brother. I have a 1 year old and a 3 year old, and I still make time to study on top of my job as an engineer, which pretty much means that I don't watch t.v., play video games, etc. Most people don't make that sacrifice.
- timr 16y ago
  "I was born to a single drug addict and into a family in which no one had finished high school. I understand empathy and that I lucked out in some ways, but I had anything but disproportionate good luck. I enlisted in the army at 17 and spent a year deployed. That's how I paid for college." Fair enough. I'm not trying to take away from your accomplishments. But remember that there are kids born to single, drug-addicted parents all over the world. Most won't be able to overcome their situation, and it's hardly their fault. "A lot of people that could be doing the same thing are playing WoW or watching Big Brother. I have a 1 year old and a 3 year old, and I still make time to study on top of my job as an engineer, which pretty much means that I don't watch t.v., play video games, etc. Most people don't make that sacrifice." I don't think it's fair to make that kind of generalization. There are always people who squander their opportunity, but that's not a reason to slight the rest. Whatever you're doing tonight, there are hundreds of thousands of other people doing the same thing. Not all of them will be as successful as you will be, and some others will be more successful than you. How will you feel when you meet the more successful person, and she tells you that you didn't work hard enough?
  - jshen 16y ago
    Why would I care, I'm happy with my life. Anyone that learns to program a computer and is decent at it can get a good job if they live in america barring a few extreme examples.
blacksmythe 16y ago
Certainly not everyone has the opportunity to be a lawyer. However, any software engineers with the skill to be employee #1 at a startup has the ability to start a company (perhaps a more modest one than the one they are joining).
- jessedhillon 16y ago
  It takes much more than software engineering skills to start a startup. You need ambition and determination more than you need any particular engineering skills. And you need to be charismatic enough to convince other people that you are not one of the 90% of entrepreneurs who will fail, that you are exceptional.

WalterBright 16y ago

It reminds me of a story my dad told me. His secretary complained to him that "garbagemen make more than me." He suggested that she quit and get a job hauling garbage. Her answer? "No way, that's a dirty, disgusting job."

antihero 16y ago

Probably too busy raising you. It's nice to have a simplistic 12 year old's attitude in thinking you can just do stuff if you want, but life is full of so many factors. Right wingers especially seem to have this child-like mindset.