Monday, March 24, 2008

Review

It captures well the frustration that I have with approaches to life that require IQ and wide reading.

It also blames others for my own faults, which is not a good thing. The disclaimer shows that I was aware of it but couldn't formulate the thoughts in a proper way which would have avoided it.

It ignores the notable entertainment value of hanging out with go players, concentrating on utility.

It could be more focused.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Drunk: Can't Stop Blogging

First, a disclaimer. This post is not about you, it's about me noticing that the approach which has evidently brough much happiness for you is totally useless for me, and about formulating an alternative.




Being the attention whore that I am, can't stop blogging. The problem with blogging is that it brings indifferent kind of attention. Not good attention - the attention of new people in general and women in particular. Not bad attention - the attention of people who are waiting to use the info against me. Just indifferent attention - attention which does not have even potential significance to my happiness now or in 10 years.

There is something peculiar in the circle of people who read this blog and who I've seen face to face. I'm referring to the go player demographic. Their talk seldom touches relevant and important things, but always lingers around and teases enough to have kept me in their company for years. Here are a few examples.

1) Market value talk.
This talk peaked in the Habsburger days when finding girlfriends was a timely challenge for them. They talked about it in very abstract terms, using evolutionary psychology for justification and quoting the behaviour of apes. Maybe they were able to draw links between everyday behaviour and the high theory, but for me, something way more concrete like Rules of the Game would have much better.

2) Despite many of them working in the same profession, not once have I heard them tell their pay. Yeah, thanks a lot for the help in pay negotiations. Instead, there is an unwritten rule to avoid discussion about work-related topics.

3) Political crap. Talking about it is a fun pasttime, but who cares?

One important exception is programming, a topic which is both practical and where their talk is on the same level, at least as long as no one mentions category theory.