3 ms·
> I didn't become the person I am today as a result of anyone else's effort but my own. Just as I'm not posting this reply as a result of anyone else's effort
by dctoedt 15y ago
> I didn't become the person I am today as a result of anyone else's effort but my own.
Just as I'm not posting this reply as a result of anyone else's effort but my own (not).
> Even the poor inner city kid has free choice. ... At adulthood, ... all people are responsible for their own lives (excepting people who truly cannot help it, i.e., those with grave mental illnesses).
I used to think free will and personal responsibility were among the absolutes of the universe. These days I'm not nearly so sure. We know so little about why different people perceive the world, and choose behaviors, in such different ways. "Grave mental illness" seems to be just one end of a continuum.
- maxharris 15y agoI disagree. I would say something like, "I decided to drive 70 MPH instead of 65, or to drive over flying, or this particular route instead of the other one, which is more scenic, but slightly longer, etc." I am not in any way saying that people don't reap the benefits of living in society with other people. But your ability to travel at 70 MPH came as a result of people thinking on their own first, which set the stage for productive exchanges between people on a team. The fact that this is a virtuous cycle often confuses people into thinking that thought is a collective activity. But it is not: while I have benefited immensely from people grading my exams and papers, in conversation, code reviews, pair programming (from an earlier career), etc., I still had to prepare for all of those things alone. Without independent thought, what value could I bring to the table?