

I’m 17 and I’m decent. Just decent. - msohcw
http://getonstage.tumblr.com/post/27677080048/im-17-and-im-decent-just-decent

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luciferous
The author defines "kiasu" as the fear of losing (out) which leads to avoiding
risk, but I've always thought of it as the fear of missed opportunity which
leads one to _take_ risks.

I grew up in Singapore, and among many excellent things I can say about its
education system I have but one criticism, which is that it tends to encourage
students to think of themselves as a point along a continuum between a loser
and a winner. This system quantizes an infinite combination of possibilities
of achieving meaningful success into a few, e.g. doctor, lawyer, banker; and
this article presents a perspective that is a typical product of that system.

~~~
msohcw
Perhaps. But I was thinking of kiasu in the sense of going to a good
university, instead of striking it out at an intership or picking a stable job
over doing what you really care about. I was trying not to emphasize the
success points but maybe I gave one too many examples. I was trying to explain
that what the education system gives is a very pointless, bland experience
that leads to decency but no real significant learning or satisfaction.
Pointlessness. I think that if we did do what we cared about, then we'd be
beyond that spectrum you mentioned, because you'd be passionate about and
enjoying what you did, instead of aiming to be a defined "winner".

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jmduke
Someone will always be better than you.

There's never going to be a point in your life when you are objectively the
greatest.

Once you realize that, its freeing. Unshackling yourself from the world means
you can get back to being happy.

~~~
msohcw
I think this really reflects on how bad a writer I am. I wasn't trying so hard
to compare myself to others, but rather to show that in my opinion, I'm not
doing anything but the standard stuff, that's pointless in my opinion, while
other people are doing things they care about and are interested in. It would
lead to decency, but not satisfaction, contribution, or change of any sort.
Might have missed the point a little while writing the piece.

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GuiA
Dude, you never get anywhere by comparing yourself to others. Just do what you
like and what you're interested in, and everything else is noise.

<http://paulbuchheit.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-am-nothing.html>

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tete
Maybe, I don't get it, but why not simply do something?

