An amusing anecdote: I was in grad school in 1987. The university had a campus computer store, which gave out a pamphlet: "Should I get a computer?" It listed many pro's and con's, nothing surprising for the era. I already had a computer. The thing that stuck with me, was the advice: "Don't expect a computer to organize you. If you have a messy desk, you will have a messy computer."
Sure as shootin', even to this day, I still have a messy computer.
Terr_ · 7h ago
Nevertheless, I go through life with the persistent unconscious belief that if I buy products-for-organizing I will become organized. :p
jaredsohn · 7h ago
In a similar way, buying exercise equipment gets you in shape.
callc · 6h ago
If you buy enough equipment then the act of carrying the equipment inside will get you in shape.
Just like my bogo sort. It’ll get there eventually.
throwup238 · 5h ago
The most exercise I’ve ever had is solo assembling a 295 pound Rogue Fitness Monster Lite power rack and raising it from the horizontal position I assembled it in to the vertical position.
I figured after that much effort I needn’t exercise ever again. I sold it the next week at a loss (cheapest hobby I’ve ever had). Although to be fair I didn’t realize at the time that I needed to buy the barbell and weights too. Lesson learned: stick to the monthly gym membership that I will never use.
The second most exercise I’ve ever had is solo raising my Grizzly 14” bandsaw to standing. Also never used, but at least I never had the heart to sell it.
teekert · 4h ago
True, however, anything not digital gets lost. And I may have many messy backups but I will find that one 15 y/o photo or doc when I need it.
SV_BubbleTime · 7h ago
Reminds me of the lottery… “If you aren’t happy before the money, you won’t be happy after”. Most people interviewed are not happy after relatively large wins, almost all report being isolated from family in the best cases and deeply resented and resentful more often than not.
It's neat how this magazine printed the essay along with the responses of people to it. Many of those response letters are quite biting (in a good way).
Sometimes I feel disheartedned when I see harsh internet comments in response to an essay. For example, sometimes Paul Graham posts essays and people on Hacker News post blistering biting responses. I guess we should remember the letters that people used to send to magazine essays like this and remember that sometimes these harsh responses are par for the course when writing essays...
jes5199 · 8h ago
huh. I’m aware of this author for other reasons - he’s popular among some carbon-capture enthusiasts. This… colors my opinion.
wwweston · 5h ago
I have questions about whether Berry would own that relationship even if (big if) he were convinced carbin capture was beneficial.
But more importantly — chances are VERY strong that Berry transcends most of the categories you’re familiar with and a few that you aren’t. He’s an outstanding voice, and a worthy thinker for anyone to sharpen their own mind with or against. Though even where I part ways with him — for example, I was always going to buy a computer (and more computers) — I usually discover that there was a tradeoff and value worth defending on the other side of my choice.
Also, the overlap between his standards for technology and open source values is pretty high.
tom_ · 7h ago
I'd never heard of them before! But I'm sure some people that disapprove will come along soon enough to balance things out.
4b11b4 · 6h ago
I know the author from Unsettling America.
milliams · 2h ago
> If possible, it should use some form of solar energy, such as that of the body.
Am I missing something here?
jml7c5 · 22m ago
It's an excessively brief way of saying that the nutrients we consume ultimately come from the sun. It caught me off guard for a moment, too.
echoangle · 8m ago
Then basically every form of energy humanity uses except nuclear is from the sun. Oil is also plant- and animal-based if you go back far enough.
Sure as shootin', even to this day, I still have a messy computer.
Just like my bogo sort. It’ll get there eventually.
I figured after that much effort I needn’t exercise ever again. I sold it the next week at a loss (cheapest hobby I’ve ever had). Although to be fair I didn’t realize at the time that I needed to buy the barbell and weights too. Lesson learned: stick to the monthly gym membership that I will never use.
The second most exercise I’ve ever had is solo raising my Grizzly 14” bandsaw to standing. Also never used, but at least I never had the heart to sell it.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42636195 - 3 months ago, 10 comments
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31808269 - 3 years ago, 169 comments
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2108463 - 14 years ago, 11 comments
Sometimes I feel disheartedned when I see harsh internet comments in response to an essay. For example, sometimes Paul Graham posts essays and people on Hacker News post blistering biting responses. I guess we should remember the letters that people used to send to magazine essays like this and remember that sometimes these harsh responses are par for the course when writing essays...
But more importantly — chances are VERY strong that Berry transcends most of the categories you’re familiar with and a few that you aren’t. He’s an outstanding voice, and a worthy thinker for anyone to sharpen their own mind with or against. Though even where I part ways with him — for example, I was always going to buy a computer (and more computers) — I usually discover that there was a tradeoff and value worth defending on the other side of my choice.
Also, the overlap between his standards for technology and open source values is pretty high.
Am I missing something here?