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What do you think you will regret? Is it not something that could have been changed with more time? Or are you trying to imply you won't have any regrets... and

by Faark 6y ago

What do you think you will regret? Is it not something that could have been changed with more time? Or are you trying to imply you won't have any regrets... and wouldn't that make the question kind of meaningless? As for me, that depends... I might end up a lonely bitter old man who constantly/wistfully mourns the wasted potential cause of all the whishes/goals I had but never worked on. Getting away from spending that much time on games should make this scenario less likely. Thus my attempt to get on a different path. But yeah, your constraints of only thinking about past and present is kind of interesting. That can pretty easily lead into the meaning(-lessness) of life, but lets not open this can of worms for now.

scotty79 6y ago
I think I'll regret not using more of my time to do things that bring me joy. I think I'll regret the times in my life when I was doing something other than exactly what I wanted to do that moment. I can't be sure though because at 41 I don't regret time spent working because it wasn't that bad and money earned allowed me to have a lot of fun gaming. Also I don't regret time spent with people. So I can't be sure if I regret anything on my deathbed, other than that I don't have more time to enjoy things. I'm pretty sure I won't regret wasted potential, because I know how unique it is to realize it in any spectacular manner. I could as well regret not winning the lottery, and I'm at ease with that. My life might be meaningless in any objective sense. But some people have drawn some utility from it and it's absolutely meaningful for me because I'm the one living it. It's the only thing I got and I'll never have anything else.
- Faark 6y ago
  Your life experience seems quite different from mine. When you describe someone as "doing only exactly what he wants to do in that moment", I'd imagine something quite different. A heroin addict. Someone excessively overweight. A kid never doing house-/homework. Or, well, someone playing video games excessive amounts of time. The thing I wouldn't picture is moderation. Or awareness of long term consequences. Again, most things that feel good are fine, as long as done in moderation. What you describe doesn't sound excessive at all, so sure, play more. Sounds like you've got the foresight to understand the trade-offs and hopefully have the willpower to not let it get out of control. Since once it's out of control and you spend 14h/day on games and media for years straight, getting yourself back to normal can be quite hard and require external help. > I'm pretty sure I won't regret wasted potential, because I know how unique it is to realize it in any spectacular manner. "spectacular manner"? I feel you're overestimate my standards. It's more a case of "I justified that excessively expensive GPU in 2008 not with gaming, but wanting to do more GPU programming. So why is the best thing I've got to show for the last decade a (nearly finished) CS bachelor?". I understand to have many years ahead of me. And all of that might leads me to a great path with a happy ending. But right now I'm certain having played less would have made such a path more likely.
  - scotty79 6y ago
    > When you describe someone as "doing only exactly what he wants to do in that moment", I'd imagine something quite different. A heroin addict. Fair enough. But heroin addict wants to do heroin in every moment and nothing else. While in my cases it varies wildly from moment to moment. At any given moment I might want to play a game, talk to human, craft a response on stackoverflow, read about some obscure database, build a prototype in language I barely know, connect solar panel to LiFePO batteries, sculpt large ugly head out of polymer clay, read online about covid19 related research, think about how you can prove simple tautologies within axiomatic logic system, attempt to fix a bug in a program I just started using, discuss philosophical ideas with you, watch youtube video and then game some more. All of it just as useless as heroine (although less harmful), but all of it something that I wanted to do in that given moment. > The thing I wouldn't picture is moderation. Moderation comes from diversity of whims. > I understand to have many years ahead of me. And all of that might leads me to a great path with a happy ending. But right now I'm certain having played less would have made such a path more likely. I wish you all the best. When I was younger I had this urge that everything I do should ultimately give some monetary benefit. Once I felt secure with what I had materially this feeling subsided and I felt (bit aimless) freedom. Now I just want to be as happy as possible. Even if that desire has nihilism as a foundation.

by Faark 6y ago

scotty79 6y ago

I think I'll regret not using more of my time to do things that bring me joy. I think I'll regret the times in my life when I was doing something other than exactly what I wanted to do that moment. I can't be sure though because at 41 I don't regret time spent working because it wasn't that bad and money earned allowed me to have a lot of fun gaming. Also I don't regret time spent with people. So I can't be sure if I regret anything on my deathbed, other than that I don't have more time to enjoy things. I'm pretty sure I won't regret wasted potential, because I know how unique it is to realize it in any spectacular manner. I could as well regret not winning the lottery, and I'm at ease with that. My life might be meaningless in any objective sense. But some people have drawn some utility from it and it's absolutely meaningful for me because I'm the one living it. It's the only thing I got and I'll never have anything else.

Faark 6y ago
Your life experience seems quite different from mine. When you describe someone as "doing only exactly what he wants to do in that moment", I'd imagine something quite different. A heroin addict. Someone excessively overweight. A kid never doing house-/homework. Or, well, someone playing video games excessive amounts of time. The thing I wouldn't picture is moderation. Or awareness of long term consequences. Again, most things that feel good are fine, as long as done in moderation. What you describe doesn't sound excessive at all, so sure, play more. Sounds like you've got the foresight to understand the trade-offs and hopefully have the willpower to not let it get out of control. Since once it's out of control and you spend 14h/day on games and media for years straight, getting yourself back to normal can be quite hard and require external help. > I'm pretty sure I won't regret wasted potential, because I know how unique it is to realize it in any spectacular manner. "spectacular manner"? I feel you're overestimate my standards. It's more a case of "I justified that excessively expensive GPU in 2008 not with gaming, but wanting to do more GPU programming. So why is the best thing I've got to show for the last decade a (nearly finished) CS bachelor?". I understand to have many years ahead of me. And all of that might leads me to a great path with a happy ending. But right now I'm certain having played less would have made such a path more likely.
- scotty79 6y ago
  > When you describe someone as "doing only exactly what he wants to do in that moment", I'd imagine something quite different. A heroin addict. Fair enough. But heroin addict wants to do heroin in every moment and nothing else. While in my cases it varies wildly from moment to moment. At any given moment I might want to play a game, talk to human, craft a response on stackoverflow, read about some obscure database, build a prototype in language I barely know, connect solar panel to LiFePO batteries, sculpt large ugly head out of polymer clay, read online about covid19 related research, think about how you can prove simple tautologies within axiomatic logic system, attempt to fix a bug in a program I just started using, discuss philosophical ideas with you, watch youtube video and then game some more. All of it just as useless as heroine (although less harmful), but all of it something that I wanted to do in that given moment. > The thing I wouldn't picture is moderation. Moderation comes from diversity of whims. > I understand to have many years ahead of me. And all of that might leads me to a great path with a happy ending. But right now I'm certain having played less would have made such a path more likely. I wish you all the best. When I was younger I had this urge that everything I do should ultimately give some monetary benefit. Once I felt secure with what I had materially this feeling subsided and I felt (bit aimless) freedom. Now I just want to be as happy as possible. Even if that desire has nihilism as a foundation.