
Crazy or Disciplined? - imgabe
http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/crazy_or_disciplined/
======
kmt
I'm quoting the last paragraph which is a summary:

"The best you can hope for in this life is that your delusions are benign and
your compulsions have utility."

In my mind, the whole post is very much worth reading. "This life" is
basically here and now since times and societies change.

Reminds me of how back in the day I chose to do software although I had other
talents and passions as well. It was not an easy choice but here I am now.

~~~
haroldp
You could turn it into a salute or blessing like, "May your delusions be
benign and your compulsions have utility"

~~~
minalecs
I like it.. sign me up .. almost like vulcan "live long and prosper" .. we can
be known as the adamites

------
metamemetics
60% of Americans believe the Noah's Ark story to be literally true.

Assuming you don't believe 2 members of every terrestrial species fit in a
wooden boat and repopulated the entire Earth from complete extinction during
man's lifetime, you are probably more sane than average.

EDIT: source:
[http://abcnews.go.com/sections/primetime/US/views_of_bible_p...](http://abcnews.go.com/sections/primetime/US/views_of_bible_poll_040216.html)

~~~
sown
I hypothesize that a large number of those people cannot bring them selves to
believe that Obama is a citizen, too.

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DenisM
If you want to start doubting your own sanity install screen recorder software
and play it back at the end of the day. Every now and again you will discover
things you do you had no recollection you were doing.

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byrneseyeview
Reminds me of the MIT guide to avoiding burnout:

<http://www.zianet.com/wpickens/jokes/mit.html>

~~~
dctoedt
You ought to post this link separately.

~~~
byrneseyeview
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1162832>

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yread
I guess he wrote it when drawing this: <http://dilbert.com/2010-02-28/>

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hrabago
I have this problem as well. I keep getting the urge to code. I keep hoping it
becomes practical and that I get something (meaning $) out of it, but the
truth is that's just an excuse I use to justify spending so much of my free
time to code. The problem is that once I've solved the core coding problems,
progress stalls. I'm still worried about the day my wife gives up on the idea
and I lose the coding time I get now.

~~~
allenp
I know what you mean. I did that a lot (hard coding problems, hoping to get
money, just an excuse to code). What I ended up realizing was that for me
coding is like mountain climbing, and that I really enjoy each new peak.

There is some research into the problem space, the ascent, the feeling of
victory, but the descent (aka the supporting code around the core problem)
while possibly challenging just isn't satisfying.

If you're able (hourly pay/equity/whatever) and want to see some of your
things get off the ground, find someone else that hasn't climbed those
boring/supporting peaks and give them a chance to help and to do some climbing
of their own.

~~~
eelco
Better yet, find someone that can ship. (And watch Seth Godin talk:
<http://vimeo.com/5895898>)

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freshfunk
Meh. Interesting juxtapositions but it doesn't really do it for me.

There is a fine line between barking at the moon and a 5% chance of success?
Really? I think a more apt comparison would be barking at the moon and selling
all your possessions to buy as many lottery tickets as you can.

OCD is compared to disciplined exercise?

If Warren Buffet were born in medieval times, I doubt he would be considered
crazy. He'd probably end up being seen and resourceful (having read his
biography).

Lastly, I resent the comparison of religion to insanity.

Where I do agree is the notion that entrepreneurship requires some leap of
faith that tends to go against the typical career route most professionals are
ingrained with. However, I think most sane entrepreneurs (heh) usually have
some background and expertise that will increase their chances of success in
their venture.

Taking measured risk is not that close to crazy. People do it when they switch
jobs or careers.

~~~
boredguy8
"Lastly, I resent the comparison of religion to insanity."

For what it's worth, he's not comparing religion to insanity by saying they're
the same thing. He's saying all three people (or the fourth with the atheist)
can't each be right.

Which is true.

~~~
jackfoxy
"Which is true."

Not so fast. There are propositons in arithmetic which are unprovable, Even
getting the 3 (or 4) individuals to come up with a common set of boolean
propositions is probably difficult, to say the least. Then coming up with a
means to prove...

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joez
I like the quote about Warren Buffet. I sometimes wonder about how useful my
current skill set would be in a world war. But I think zombie apocalypse (or,
more realistically, the possibility of a startup) are reasons the to stay
curious and have hobbies.

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zasz
The light switch and moon examples are really bad. There's no good practical
reason for either of those. Running your own startup can be a lot more fun
than working at a big company, and running five miles every day is just good
for you.

The drawing example is good, though. Reminds me of moral luck:
<http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-luck/>

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zende
being a workaholic is having an addiction. It just happens that the thing
you're addicted to can have a positive outcome, but it is an addiction
nonetheless

~~~
robryan
As far as addictions go it is one of the more positive ones. I think it's
great that I can sit here and get excited about spending 12 hours of a day
doing thesis work or programming.

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halffinn
don't we generally need to be both crazy and disciplined?

