7 ms·

From Bill Watterson's commencement speech at Kenyon College in 1990. I was lucky to read this when I was graduating and it changed my whole career path. I am no

by getoj 4y ago

From Bill Watterson's commencement speech at Kenyon College in 1990. I was lucky to read this when I was graduating and it changed my whole career path. I am now very happy and very boring: "Creating a life that reflects your values and satisfies your soul is a rare achievement. In a culture that relentlessly promotes avarice and excess as the good life, a person happy doing his own work is usually considered an eccentric, if not a subversive. Ambition is only understood if it's to rise to the top of some imaginary ladder of success. Someone who takes an undemanding job because it affords him the time to pursue other interests and activities is considered a flake. A person who abandons a career in order to stay home and raise children is considered not to be living up to his potential-as if a job title and salary are the sole measure of human worth. You'll be told in a hundred ways, some subtle and some not, to keep climbing, and never be satisfied with where you are, who you are, and what you're doing. There are a million ways to sell yourself out, and I guarantee you'll hear about them. To invent your own life's meaning is not easy, but it's still allowed, and I think you'll be happier for the trouble."

tuanx5 4y ago
This is a beautiful excerpt that I hadn't heard before -- thanks for this perspective!
silencedogood3 4y ago
Great comment! I find it even more moving in waterson style comic form: https://www.gocomics.com/zen-pencils/2014/06/23 https://www.gocomics.com/zen-pencils/2014/06/23
- quercusa 4y ago
  Thank you for this!
- HellDunkel 4y ago
  Haha- ok. I love how he is nerding out on the dinosaur and next we see his girlfriend. This is not what happens in real life.
  - justinlloyd 4y ago
    Au contraire, mon ami! This _is_ my life. I am the epitome of "stay true to yourself." Mostly staying true to myself has been flipping the table, saying "F this for a game of soldiers" and flipping the middle finger as I walk out the door. The journey has not always been comfortable. But this adventure that I hope never ends has been a lot of fun.
    - HellDunkel 4y ago
      Let me congratulate you for reaching „the epitome of staying true to yourself“ and for going to a place where no man has gone before.
  - tomcam 4y ago
    Worked for me. In general, though, I found that immigrants were on the average much more receptive to appreciating someone who works hard and values family life.
lostgame 4y ago
Thank you for sharing this. Calvin and Hobbes is one of the more influential works of art I've ever held dear to my heart. I love hearing this from him.
- deebosong 4y ago
  Bill Watterson was influential for me to not go into NFT art. It's not something to be proud of, but I wrestled with joining or not. And at the time I was wrestling with making art in and for that space, I recalled a story about him where Spielberg and others approached him for movie rights for Calvin & Hobbes, and he refused, because it would ruin the soul of what he was trying to explore & do with those characters. It helped me put a stake in the ground for not joining NFT's at a pretty pivotal juncture for me. Might not be a relatable struggle to others, because of the obvious pitfalls and buffoonery in the space. But man, the pull of greed was powerful for a few weeks haha. I love Bill Watterson for his commitment to his values, let alone the amazing work he created.
  - NateEag 4y ago
    Thank you for choosing to maintain your artistic integrity. You made a good choice and I'm glad to read your story.
  - stereoradonc 4y ago
    This is a beautiful perspective-greatness doesn't come through shortcuts. Sweat, Tears, Failures, Rejections are all part of the process. To those who embrace this without falling for the bling are truly destined for greatness.
dougmwne 4y ago
I have a great counterpoint quote from Edward Abbey: "One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast....a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards."
- notRobot 4y ago
  Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but that seems complementary to Watterson's quote, not a counter to it?
  - xeromal 4y ago
    Same. Maybe they just used counterpoint incorrectly? Misunderstanding?
    - maroonblazer 4y ago
      Or maybe they're a musician, and are using the musical definition of 'counterpoint', where a melody is played with another melody and together they harmonize.
      - dougmwne 4y ago
        Indeed I was using this definition of the word, and quite purposefully as there are both complementary and contrasting elements. Online discussion is biased towards the "argumentative" so sometimes it helps to break people's expectations.
_carbyau_ 4y ago
I like Desiderata as life advice. Text here: https://www.desiderata.com/desiderata.html https://www.desiderata.com/desiderata.html It's a 1 minute read, but two snippets more directly relevant: "Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story." and "If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself." I see everyone simply doing their best to get by and focusing on differing details at differing scales depending on what situation and inclination are. Your details are important to you. You can learn other peoples details if you talk to them for a bit. No one is boring - and everyone is - depending on your own viewpoint. As for:"But I wonder if I'll do these things or if I will just work and be happy." What the hell is wrong with being happy? :-)
DrBoring 4y ago
This quote reminds me of a book I just finished: "The Pathless Path" by Paul Millerd https://think-boundless.com/the-pathless-path/ https://think-boundless.com/the-pathless-path/ It's about rejecting the default career path which our society considers normal and desirable. The default path is the one where you go to school, enter a career, work the career until you retire ... etc. I have been a lot of trouble lately figuring out why I'm so unhappy with my career. I knew I was on the wrong path, but I couldn't see the next step on my trail in life. This book made me see that there are plenty of people living happily off the default path. The books made me more determined to seek the pathless path. I suggest reading it for anyone who is feeling listless in their career and needs a fresh new perspective.
- mattgreenrocks 4y ago
  Thank you for the rec, I started it today!
- zaphod4prez 4y ago
  paul millerd is great!! im on his email list and really enjoy it, but havent gotten his book yet
teekert 4y ago
Absolutely agree with this, but particularly that last sentence. I'm now 40 and I have the feeling that just this last year I'm sort of starting to understand what work really makes me happy and I'm also finally in the position that I feel like I'm valuable enough to just say no to boring work I consider not worth my effort. I can finally focus (mostly) on work that I really like, and it even looks like people around me appreciate this. Also, importantly, this type of work exists at my current employer. It took a long time, and I went through years of staying with the same job, having highs and lows and thinking and reflecting, with a coach sometimes (I was lucky that one of the jobs had a coach for every employee) on work and the way it makes me feel, what I'm good at, and how that may be because of how I was raised, or the role I had to take or took in my family. You are good at some things because you did them a lot. Sometimes those things match with what makes you feel good, sometimes they are that nagging thing you couldn't name but carried with you your whole life. I.e. I'm considered social, social glue, someone who gets a group to get along. But it costs me an inordinate amount of energy and I just now am learning the benefits of respectfully guarding your own interests, I feel just like the writer of this assay: [0]. Still growing up at 40. [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30906621 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30906621
hcks 4y ago
This is an example of a common type of discourse that present itself as subversive and opposing what "society" wants. In practice, I really don't see how it is subversive. Most people do not pursue a career where they actively try to climb up the corporate ladder. In fact, most people who are overworked do not pursue any goal of their own, they are simply being exploited (psychological / economic pressure)

by getoj 4y ago

tuanx5 4y ago

This is a beautiful excerpt that I hadn't heard before -- thanks for this perspective!

silencedogood3 4y ago

Great comment! I find it even more moving in waterson style comic form: https://www.gocomics.com/zen-pencils/2014/06/23 https://www.gocomics.com/zen-pencils/2014/06/23

quercusa 4y ago
Thank you for this!
HellDunkel 4y ago
Haha- ok. I love how he is nerding out on the dinosaur and next we see his girlfriend. This is not what happens in real life.
- justinlloyd 4y ago
  Au contraire, mon ami! This _is_ my life. I am the epitome of "stay true to yourself." Mostly staying true to myself has been flipping the table, saying "F this for a game of soldiers" and flipping the middle finger as I walk out the door. The journey has not always been comfortable. But this adventure that I hope never ends has been a lot of fun.
  - HellDunkel 4y ago
    Let me congratulate you for reaching „the epitome of staying true to yourself“ and for going to a place where no man has gone before.
- tomcam 4y ago
  Worked for me. In general, though, I found that immigrants were on the average much more receptive to appreciating someone who works hard and values family life.

lostgame 4y ago

Thank you for sharing this. Calvin and Hobbes is one of the more influential works of art I've ever held dear to my heart. I love hearing this from him.

deebosong 4y ago
Bill Watterson was influential for me to not go into NFT art. It's not something to be proud of, but I wrestled with joining or not. And at the time I was wrestling with making art in and for that space, I recalled a story about him where Spielberg and others approached him for movie rights for Calvin & Hobbes, and he refused, because it would ruin the soul of what he was trying to explore & do with those characters. It helped me put a stake in the ground for not joining NFT's at a pretty pivotal juncture for me. Might not be a relatable struggle to others, because of the obvious pitfalls and buffoonery in the space. But man, the pull of greed was powerful for a few weeks haha. I love Bill Watterson for his commitment to his values, let alone the amazing work he created.
- NateEag 4y ago
  Thank you for choosing to maintain your artistic integrity. You made a good choice and I'm glad to read your story.
- stereoradonc 4y ago
  This is a beautiful perspective-greatness doesn't come through shortcuts. Sweat, Tears, Failures, Rejections are all part of the process. To those who embrace this without falling for the bling are truly destined for greatness.

dougmwne 4y ago

I have a great counterpoint quote from Edward Abbey: "One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast....a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards."

notRobot 4y ago
Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but that seems complementary to Watterson's quote, not a counter to it?
- xeromal 4y ago
  Same. Maybe they just used counterpoint incorrectly? Misunderstanding?
  - maroonblazer 4y ago
    Or maybe they're a musician, and are using the musical definition of 'counterpoint', where a melody is played with another melody and together they harmonize.
    - dougmwne 4y ago
      Indeed I was using this definition of the word, and quite purposefully as there are both complementary and contrasting elements. Online discussion is biased towards the "argumentative" so sometimes it helps to break people's expectations.

_carbyau_ 4y ago

I like Desiderata as life advice. Text here: https://www.desiderata.com/desiderata.html https://www.desiderata.com/desiderata.html It's a 1 minute read, but two snippets more directly relevant: "Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story." and "If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself." I see everyone simply doing their best to get by and focusing on differing details at differing scales depending on what situation and inclination are. Your details are important to you. You can learn other peoples details if you talk to them for a bit. No one is boring - and everyone is - depending on your own viewpoint. As for:"But I wonder if I'll do these things or if I will just work and be happy." What the hell is wrong with being happy? :-)

DrBoring 4y ago

This quote reminds me of a book I just finished: "The Pathless Path" by Paul Millerd https://think-boundless.com/the-pathless-path/ https://think-boundless.com/the-pathless-path/ It's about rejecting the default career path which our society considers normal and desirable. The default path is the one where you go to school, enter a career, work the career until you retire ... etc. I have been a lot of trouble lately figuring out why I'm so unhappy with my career. I knew I was on the wrong path, but I couldn't see the next step on my trail in life. This book made me see that there are plenty of people living happily off the default path. The books made me more determined to seek the pathless path. I suggest reading it for anyone who is feeling listless in their career and needs a fresh new perspective.

mattgreenrocks 4y ago
Thank you for the rec, I started it today!
zaphod4prez 4y ago
paul millerd is great!! im on his email list and really enjoy it, but havent gotten his book yet

teekert 4y ago

Absolutely agree with this, but particularly that last sentence. I'm now 40 and I have the feeling that just this last year I'm sort of starting to understand what work really makes me happy and I'm also finally in the position that I feel like I'm valuable enough to just say no to boring work I consider not worth my effort. I can finally focus (mostly) on work that I really like, and it even looks like people around me appreciate this. Also, importantly, this type of work exists at my current employer. It took a long time, and I went through years of staying with the same job, having highs and lows and thinking and reflecting, with a coach sometimes (I was lucky that one of the jobs had a coach for every employee) on work and the way it makes me feel, what I'm good at, and how that may be because of how I was raised, or the role I had to take or took in my family. You are good at some things because you did them a lot. Sometimes those things match with what makes you feel good, sometimes they are that nagging thing you couldn't name but carried with you your whole life. I.e. I'm considered social, social glue, someone who gets a group to get along. But it costs me an inordinate amount of energy and I just now am learning the benefits of respectfully guarding your own interests, I feel just like the writer of this assay: [0]. Still growing up at 40. [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30906621 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30906621

hcks 4y ago

This is an example of a common type of discourse that present itself as subversive and opposing what "society" wants. In practice, I really don't see how it is subversive. Most people do not pursue a career where they actively try to climb up the corporate ladder. In fact, most people who are overworked do not pursue any goal of their own, they are simply being exploited (psychological / economic pressure)