4 ms·

Well put. Does the world not already provide enough difficult challenges? I encourage others to test themselves by endeavoring to make the world a better plac

by willhf 17y ago

Well put. Does the world not already provide enough difficult challenges? I encourage others to test themselves by endeavoring to make the world a better place. Yes, I know that sounds condescending, but I cannot stand the author's self-absorbtion: "By making life harder for myself, I prove how macho I am!"

Psyonic 17y ago
You're being downvoted, but I think you bring up an interesting contrarian position that I'm surprised so many here disagree with. Couldn't he be working on a startup, instead of living off rice in an ant-filled van?
- pyre 17y ago
  > Couldn't he be working on a startup, instead of living off rice in an ant-filled van? Why does "working on a startup" equate with "making the world a better place?"
  - billswift 17y ago
    Since the only way to make money is to provide something people want, if you are doing something that provides you with money, you are making your customers' world a better place, at least they must think so.
    - pyre 17y ago
      I promise to take care of toxic waste for some large manufacturing corporations. I take their money and 'dispose' of the waste. What if I dispose of the waste into waterways (lakes, rivers,etc)? My customers are happy because the waste is taken off of their hands. If anyone ever finds out about the dumping, they can claim to no know anything (and they may well not know anything) and *I'm* the one that takes the fall, not them. In the meantime, they get to reap the benefits of cheaper disposal (since it's not being disposed of properly). I would hardly say that I'm making the world a better place though. "happy customers" != "a better world"
      - mnemonicsloth 17y ago
        So how does one make the world a better place? Most methods I can think of cost a lot of money.
        Psyonic 17y ago
        Love your wife and your children. Help out a friend. Clear your elderly neighbor's driveway in the winter. Sure, the effect is tiny, but you've got to start somewhere.
    - deleted 17y ago
      [deleted]
    - cma 17y ago
      Let's say your customers are "everyone in the world," and your product is diamond rings. Your customers rank each other based on how big of a diamond ring they own. All customers want a bigger ring. When you sell one customer a slightly bigger ring he moves up a rank, and someone else correspondingly moves down a rank. In this abstract model if we assume rank is as important to each participant, you have provided no wealth. This model corresponds well to bits and pieces of an absolutely massive portion of our economy. More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positional_good http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positional_good http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Theory_of_the_Leisure_Class http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Theory_of_the_Leisure_Class
- bretthoerner 17y ago
  > instead of living off rice in an ant-filled van Uh, I think you mean "instead of going to graduate school."
  - potatolicious 17y ago
    Plenty of people go to grad school on limited means and still manage to live in a heated, watered apartment. IMHO this whole exercise seems more like an attempt to escape consumerism (in whatever way the author has defined it), more than it is about being able to afford education.
    - misuba 17y ago
      The author is 100% clear that the exercise is an attempt to escape debt. He's got plenty of options if he just wants to afford an education.
      - Psyonic 17y ago
        Exactly our point. He's going to great lengths to avoid any debt, which in this society is a bit masochistic. A little debt for your future isn't going to kill you.
  - Psyonic 17y ago
    No, I didn't mean that at all. Loans exist for a reason. If he wants to be ultra-frugal, that's fine, but it's not necessary. Do you really believe taking a loan out for something as important as school is that terrible?
- giardini 17y ago
  Well, he could move the van occasionally so that ants didn't set up shop inside!8-)
rbanffy 17y ago
> but I cannot stand the author's self-absorbtion: "By making life harder for myself, I prove how macho I am!" Aren't you projecting something unto him?

by willhf 17y ago

Psyonic 17y ago

You're being downvoted, but I think you bring up an interesting contrarian position that I'm surprised so many here disagree with. Couldn't he be working on a startup, instead of living off rice in an ant-filled van?

pyre 17y ago
> Couldn't he be working on a startup, instead of living off rice in an ant-filled van? Why does "working on a startup" equate with "making the world a better place?"
- billswift 17y ago
  Since the only way to make money is to provide something people want, if you are doing something that provides you with money, you are making your customers' world a better place, at least they must think so.
  - pyre 17y ago
    I promise to take care of toxic waste for some large manufacturing corporations. I take their money and 'dispose' of the waste. What if I dispose of the waste into waterways (lakes, rivers,etc)? My customers are happy because the waste is taken off of their hands. If anyone ever finds out about the dumping, they can claim to no know anything (and they may well not know anything) and *I'm* the one that takes the fall, not them. In the meantime, they get to reap the benefits of cheaper disposal (since it's not being disposed of properly). I would hardly say that I'm making the world a better place though. "happy customers" != "a better world"
    - mnemonicsloth 17y ago
      So how does one make the world a better place? Most methods I can think of cost a lot of money.
      - Psyonic 17y ago
        Love your wife and your children. Help out a friend. Clear your elderly neighbor's driveway in the winter. Sure, the effect is tiny, but you've got to start somewhere.
  - deleted 17y ago
    [deleted]
  - cma 17y ago
    Let's say your customers are "everyone in the world," and your product is diamond rings. Your customers rank each other based on how big of a diamond ring they own. All customers want a bigger ring. When you sell one customer a slightly bigger ring he moves up a rank, and someone else correspondingly moves down a rank. In this abstract model if we assume rank is as important to each participant, you have provided no wealth. This model corresponds well to bits and pieces of an absolutely massive portion of our economy. More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positional_good http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positional_good http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Theory_of_the_Leisure_Class http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Theory_of_the_Leisure_Class
bretthoerner 17y ago
> instead of living off rice in an ant-filled van Uh, I think you mean "instead of going to graduate school."
- potatolicious 17y ago
  Plenty of people go to grad school on limited means and still manage to live in a heated, watered apartment. IMHO this whole exercise seems more like an attempt to escape consumerism (in whatever way the author has defined it), more than it is about being able to afford education.
  - misuba 17y ago
    The author is 100% clear that the exercise is an attempt to escape debt. He's got plenty of options if he just wants to afford an education.
    - Psyonic 17y ago
      Exactly our point. He's going to great lengths to avoid any debt, which in this society is a bit masochistic. A little debt for your future isn't going to kill you.
- Psyonic 17y ago
  No, I didn't mean that at all. Loans exist for a reason. If he wants to be ultra-frugal, that's fine, but it's not necessary. Do you really believe taking a loan out for something as important as school is that terrible?
giardini 17y ago
Well, he could move the van occasionally so that ants didn't set up shop inside!8-)

rbanffy 17y ago

> but I cannot stand the author's self-absorbtion: "By making life harder for myself, I prove how macho I am!" Aren't you projecting something unto him?