9goats dead posted:

it actually amounts to this: i a m g a y

babypolis posted:

spending years of your life to obtain a single data point that maybe kinda proves a minor assumption in a much larger theory isnt any better, sorry

Chomp8645 posted:

Because video games are fun and the world is stupid. I could have fun playing games on my own or with friends, or I could put in long hours doing something lovely and suffer sleep deprivation so some rich rear end in a top hat can buy a second yacht.

Hmm... yeah tough choice that one.

Quickscope420dad posted:

I think the point was more along the lines "do the hard work to become the rich rear end in a top hat with the second yacht, playing video games on the open sea" rather than "get to the top of lower-management in your local fast-food restaurant", but whatever man just be yourself.

Moridin920 posted:

How cute you think if you just work hard you'll be rich as gently caress someday.

Quickscope420dad posted:

I didn't suggest in what ways one might be working hard, but it sure as hell wouldn't be on some bum career ladder.

But ain't gunna happen without hard work, unless you've already got a modicum of wealth to invest and make passive income, and the OP's point is that these guys demonstrate significant attention to detail as well as various other skills which, if applied in the right way, could lead to great success #boratquote.

Moridin920 posted:

lol

most wealth is inherited, most rich people don't work very hard, 'some bum career ladder' probably applies to 95% of jobs out there in the sense that you aren't going to be buying yachts ever

but yeah there's the few people that do work hard and make it

there's people that win the lottery too

I am OK posted:

Sometimes I see a 200,000 word OP about a TV show or see somebody really analyzing and playing with numbers in a game like EVE or memorizing a books' worth of data about some mmo.... My q is this: why not funnel all that brain power and memory and effort into a trade or skill that will earn you money and respect? I'm convinced that at a basic level, it all amounts to the same thing.

Moridin920 posted:

yeah keep working hard then and buy those yachts and maybe one day you'll be happy

I'll just keep smoking this weed and playing these games and being happy now

Moridin920 posted:

sure it is, enough of those and the human race can go to space or something

what about people like Tesla and Einstein and many others who were responsible for more than just a data point or two?

it is all ultimately meaningless in the end of course but not all equally worthless

babypolis posted:

yeah sure exceptional ppl like tesla and einstein and hitler get poo poo done all the time, but they represent such a tiny minority they basically dont count

babypolis posted:

yeah sure exceptional ppl like tesla and einstein and hitler get poo poo done all the time, but they represent such a tiny minority they basically dont count

Quickscope420dad posted:

Yeah but that minority who worked hard at something is contrasted with a majority of people who think that smoking weed and playing games is all they're good for and that working hard is pointless?

Quickscope420dad posted:

Yeah but that minority who worked hard at something is contrasted with a majority of people who think that smoking weed and playing games is all they're good for and that working hard is pointless?

babypolis posted:

hard work is a completely worthless predictor in a remotely competitive setting because anyone can put in a lot of hard work

babypolis posted:

are you one of those idiots who believes that literally everyone has the potential for greatness

i assure of you if one of us was the next einstein we would be getting phds at 16 and not posting in a forum

Quickscope420dad posted:

No i don't believe everyone has the potential for greatness. I also don't think resigning yourself to mediocrity is particularly rewarding. There's nothing wrong with it, there's nothing wrong with wanting to play games and smoke weed all the time. That's pretty great actually. At the same time, there IS something wrong with resenting those who do wanna work hard at something and maybe, just maybe break the glass ceiling. It's a game in itself?

Moridin920 posted:

there's being a good employee and there's working yourself into an early grave to make other people more money


pretty much

Quickscope420dad posted:

Yeah but that makes the assumption i'm talking about being employed by someone else... why push a rock up a hill unless you really love that rock and that hill? I see a world full of people spending the majority of their waking hours working meaningless jobs they hate, praying for closing time to go home and spend those pitiful few hours doing the little things they enjoy, and I guess it's a fault of my own that I would fall into nihilistic depression if I resigned myself to that for the next 50 years.

Quickscope420dad posted:

No i don't believe everyone has the potential for greatness. I also don't think resigning yourself to mediocrity is particularly rewarding. There's nothing wrong with it, there's nothing wrong with wanting to play games and smoke weed all the time. That's pretty great actually. At the same time, there IS something wrong with resenting those who do wanna work hard at something and maybe, just maybe break the glass ceiling. It's a game in itself?

Widestancer posted:

How often do you post on Wizardchan

Moridin920 posted:

I don't care though dude go for it, everyone should do what makes them happy.

I'm just saying be wary of working your rear end off because 'that's just what you're supposed to do' and then finding yourself at 40 one day hating your job and your life.

I'm not resigning myself to mediocrity, I just don't judge my value on the work I do for my employers or work done in the pursuit of more money and material possessions.

Al Cowens posted:

I am OK posted:

Sometimes I see a 200,000 word OP about a TV show or see somebody really analyzing and playing with numbers in a game like EVE or memorizing a books' worth of data about some mmo.... My q is this: why not funnel all that brain power and memory and effort into a trade or skill that will earn you money and respect? I'm convinced that at a basic level, it all amounts to the same thing.

Quickscope420dad posted:

Yeah, and I completely agree with that sentiment. I'm totally against "work your rear end off for some soulless douche" and career-ladder climbing. Hell, I don't think I can think of a single example of someone achieving greatness that way anyway. It's all through their own means right? their own passions and pursuits. On a purely financial ground, there are quite a lot of examples of people who've gone "from rags to riches" by digging their own road through the mountain rather than trying to climb over the drat thing.

And that's really cool, and something I respect, is not judging one's value on those things. At the same time, it's cool to have passions, and if those passions can pay for themselves and mean you DON'T have to work 40 hours a week doing pointless garbage...then...

Quickscope420dad posted:

Yeah, and I completely agree with that sentiment. I'm totally against "work your rear end off for some soulless douche" and career-ladder climbing. Hell, I don't think I can think of a single example of someone achieving greatness that way anyway. It's all through their own means right? their own passions and pursuits. On a purely financial ground, there are quite a lot of examples of people who've gone "from rags to riches" by digging their own road through the mountain rather than trying to climb over the drat thing.

And that's really cool, and something I respect, is not judging one's value on those things. At the same time, it's cool to have passions, and if those passions can pay for themselves and mean you DON'T have to work 40 hours a week doing pointless garbage...then...

babypolis posted:

just remember dude, rags to riches is as likely as winning the lottery

Moridin920 posted:

How cute you think if you just work hard you'll be rich as gently caress someday.

Moridin920 posted:

Yeah, I'm not saying it's impossible or that everyone should just say gently caress it and never work again. I turned my passion for staring at prices and commodities in EVE online into a hobby that generates income (trading on financial markets).

But people like the OP go 'well you're just wasting your life doing activity A, you should really be devoting your energy to activity B!' and in the end it doesn't really matter.