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I believe there's a quote somewhere in Stranger in a Strange Land, where Jubal Harshaw comments that an author doesn't write because he can, or likes to, or bec
by IsaacSchlueter 18y ago
I believe there's a quote somewhere in Stranger in a Strange Land, where Jubal Harshaw comments that an author doesn't write because he can, or likes to, or because it's the best way to pay the bills–many can't, few do, and it usually isn't. It's just something that must be done, like breathing or defecating, and it's about as glamorous.
It's hard to say whether programming makes me happy, per se. I do know that I can't escape it. I can avoid putting my fingers on a keyboard for a while. But the brain, it keeps going. It's how I'm built, and you may as well ask me if I like having two hands instead of 4 or one head instead of 7; but it's the shape of the brain we're talking about. I find it hard to imagine what life would be like.
I program to pay the bills, and it keeps me comfortable. I also program because I have ideas for programs that don't exist, and it's the only way to make them exist. I program because I want my computer to do something that it doesn't already know how to do. I program because it's more engaging than television and less pointless than video games.
Sometimes, it's frustrating or challenging. Sometimes it feels like a lot of effort for hardly any reward. Sometimes huge amounts of work have to be scrapped because it's just wrong.
But other times, things click, and it's perfect, like a symphony. And in those moments, "happy" seems like an understatement.
No, programming doesn't make me happy. But programming is part of what makes me me; and, in general, I'm happy about that.
- divia 18y ago>I believe there's a quote somewhere in Stranger in a Strange Land, where Jubal Harshaw comments that an author doesn't write because he can, or likes to, or because it's the best way to pay the bills–many can't, few do, and it usually isn't. It's just something that must be done, like breathing or defecating, and it's about as glamorous. I'd be interested to know which passage you mean. I've read that book many more times than is really necessary and I can't remember Jubal saying that. The closest I can think of is a passage where he says "I want praise from the customer, given in cash because I've reached him--or I don't want anything."
- IsaacSchlueter 18y agoI could be thinking of one of Heinlein's other books, or even just something he said randomly. I've read a lot of his stuff, and it all starts to blur together. If I come across it, I'll make a note of it.
- mct 18y agoThe protagonist in Heinlein's The Cat Who Walks Through Walls says something very similar near the beginning of the novel.
- divia 18y agoAh, yes. This: >"Yes, dear. Richard, do you enjoy writing?" >"No one enjoys writing." >[...] >"But you don't enjoy it and we don't need the money. Truly we don't!" >"Thank you, my love. But I did not explain to you the other insidious aspect of writing. There is no way to stop. Writers go on writing long after it becomes financially unnecessary...because it hurts less to write than it does not to write." Thanks!
- IsaacSchlueter 18y agoThanks, indeed! That's exactly the one I was thinking of.
- Raphael 18y ago> I also program because I have ideas for programs that don't exist, and it's the only way to make them exist. I program because I want my computer to do something that it doesn't already know how to do. That's what it boils down to for me.