4 ms·

I wonder if a simple test for "obstinacy" would be: how much does the person write/publish?

by breck 2y ago

AnimalMuppet 2y ago
I think CapitalistCartr put it better in https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26979490 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26979490: > Do they think for themselves or parrot a standard position? Can they explain how they came to a conclusion? When they say "I think . . . ", did they? It doesn't matter they subject; either they think or they don't. Obstinate people are ones who not only don't think, but aggressively don't think. They have their "dogma" (call it another term if you wish), and they Will. Not. Question. It. No matter what you say, no matter what evidence you present, they just won't. This isn't just about obstinacy in pursuing goals. It also shows up in the confirmation bias that reinforces conspiracy theories in the minds of those who hold them.
readthenotes1 2y ago
Attention-seeking is a different trait...
- vinnyvichy 2y ago
  Tell me more! I'm starting to get "one-eyed man is king" intrusive thoughts from your suggestion..
danielmarkbruce 2y ago
In which direction? Most people who write/publish are fools. You can be certain about this by reading a lot and realizing most of it is garbage.
- breck 2y ago
  Yes, but most people who write/publish _a lot_ are not fools.
  - danielmarkbruce 2y ago
    Still disagree. The most prolific writers are journalists, and most of their stuff is absolute garbage. On top of that, most of the most successful people on the planet write little or nothing. They are too busy doing.
    - breck 2y ago
      > The most prolific writers are journalists You state this as fact without providing a dataset to back it. I think this is not true at all. > most of the most successful people on the planet write little or nothing It depends on how you define "success". I would consider people like Linus and Dwayne Richard Hipp and TBL to be among the most successful people on the planet, and they write quite a lot. Do you call people who capture then give away a billion dollars the most successful? I don't. To me the most successful are the ones who create billions in wealth and capture just a tiny fraction--enough to support their family and friends and live a good life.
      - danielmarkbruce 2y ago
        > You state this as fact without providing a dataset to back it. I think this is not true at all. Look at your own comments. My comment is effectively "people whose day job is to write, write the most". It's borderline self evident. Your argument has devolved into: "people who write a lot are by definition successful. I wonder if there is a correlation between writing a lot and success."
        breck 2y ago
        My bet would be that scientists write the most, not journalists. You seem to have changed your position from journalists to "people whose day job is to write", which is good, as that includes scientists.
        rqmedes 2y ago
        Marketing people write a lot more

I wonder if a simple test for "obstinacy" would be: how much does the person write/publish?

by breck 2y ago

I wonder if a simple test for "obstinacy" would be: how much does the person write/publish?

I think CapitalistCartr put it better in https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26979490 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26979490: > Do they think for themselves or parrot a standard position? Can they explain how they came to a conclusion? When they say "I think . . . ", did they? It doesn't matter they subject; either they think or they don't. Obstinate people are ones who not only don't think, but aggressively don't think. They have their "dogma" (call it another term if you wish), and they Will. Not. Question. It. No matter what you say, no matter what evidence you present, they just won't. This isn't just about obstinacy in pursuing goals. It also shows up in the confirmation bias that reinforces conspiracy theories in the minds of those who hold them.

readthenotes1 2y ago

Attention-seeking is a different trait...

vinnyvichy 2y ago
Tell me more! I'm starting to get "one-eyed man is king" intrusive thoughts from your suggestion..

danielmarkbruce 2y ago

In which direction? Most people who write/publish are fools. You can be certain about this by reading a lot and realizing most of it is garbage.

breck 2y ago
Yes, but most people who write/publish _a lot_ are not fools.
- danielmarkbruce 2y ago
  Still disagree. The most prolific writers are journalists, and most of their stuff is absolute garbage. On top of that, most of the most successful people on the planet write little or nothing. They are too busy doing.
  - breck 2y ago
    > The most prolific writers are journalists You state this as fact without providing a dataset to back it. I think this is not true at all. > most of the most successful people on the planet write little or nothing It depends on how you define "success". I would consider people like Linus and Dwayne Richard Hipp and TBL to be among the most successful people on the planet, and they write quite a lot. Do you call people who capture then give away a billion dollars the most successful? I don't. To me the most successful are the ones who create billions in wealth and capture just a tiny fraction--enough to support their family and friends and live a good life.
    - danielmarkbruce 2y ago
      > You state this as fact without providing a dataset to back it. I think this is not true at all. Look at your own comments. My comment is effectively "people whose day job is to write, write the most". It's borderline self evident. Your argument has devolved into: "people who write a lot are by definition successful. I wonder if there is a correlation between writing a lot and success."
      - breck 2y ago
        My bet would be that scientists write the most, not journalists. You seem to have changed your position from journalists to "people whose day job is to write", which is good, as that includes scientists.
        rqmedes 2y ago
        Marketing people write a lot more