3 ms·
I question what the relentless seeker of credentials is trying to achieve. Not just here, but in general. If life is an infinite set of boxes to be checked, wha
by jonnathanson 15y ago
I question what the relentless seeker of credentials is trying to achieve. Not just here, but in general. If life is an infinite set of boxes to be checked, what's the point of it all?
It seems our society places an unduly large value on achievement, rather than accomplishment. The point of going to a top school is to say you've gone to a top school. The point of working at McKinsey or Goldman is to put it on your resume. The point of being on the board of X is to get onto the board of Y. And so forth. This is the cold, seldom-questioned bargain of achievement. It is a paint-by-numbers approach to success, and it certainly guarantees its devout adherant a substantial degree of material comfort. But at what cost? And is there an end goal? Or is life simply a contest to see who can build the most prestigious obituary?
I, for one, hope and trust that YC is able to sniff out the achievers from the accomplishers, and to select the latter. It is the latter who build great companies. The former make fantastic lawyers, consultants, and bankers.
- geofflewis 15y agoCompletely agree.
- vasco 15y ago"Or is life simply a contest to see who can build the most prestigious obituary?" Life is what you make of it. If checking boxes doesn't make you happy, don't do it.
- jonnathanson 15y ago"If checking boxes doesn't make you happy, don't do it." What I'm asking is whether checking boxes really makes anyone happy. I mean, truly happy. Don't get me wrong; I went through a lengthy box-checking phase that lasted about 20 years. Checking a given box made me happy only until the next box appeared on the horizon. The whole thing seemed like a cosmic treadmill. I think there's something admirable in the sheer work ethic and determination required to check the top boxes. But at the same time, I wonder whether that effort couldn't be spent on something more worthwhile -- such as defining oneself on one's own terms, rather than by a weird chiaroscuro of ideals hit and missed.
- reinhardt 15y ago"The whole thing seemed like a cosmic treadmill." I'd say it's like a video game. Keep trying to beat the current level and move to the next one. Why do people play video games? For the challenge and to pass time. Well, same here. What's the alternative? "Defining oneself on one's own terms" sounds nice but doesn't mean anything really. I'm not riding the treadmill myself but I'd take it any time over existential boredom.
- jk4930 15y agoDefining oneself has the consequence to set your own goals instead of only following the goals of others (you might join other people's quests, but you're now free to not do so without falling into existential boredom). You switch from external to internal motivation. That means very much.
- theorique 15y agoOne way to set goals is to avoid setting any goal that you think reaching will make you happier than you are right now. Sound crazy? The idea is that "I'll be happy when"-type goals tend to be the kind that are most often misguided. They are often aimed at pleasing or impressing others or measuring up to external expectations - parents, society, peers, etc. Conversely, the goals that you just choose because you choose them, tend to be much more rewarding in the end. With total focus and attention, minimal ego involvement, and no expectation of reward or outcome, the process becomes the reward and happiness is the result.
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- oskarth 15y agoThere's a great quote pertaining to this: "The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat." - Lily Tomlin
- ahi 15y agoSocial validation is a powerful force with good and bad consequences.