communication is an evolutionary adaptation, right?
Being able to work with others for the common goal of survival increases evolutionary edge
Readit Newsrandomopining commented on Mushrooms communicate with each other using up to 50 'words', scientist claims (2022) theguardian.com/science/2... · Posted by u/Anon84
randomopining commented on What happens when people don't understand how AI works theatlantic.com/culture/a... · Posted by u/rmason
Why would anyone want to read less and not more? It'd be like reading movie spoilers so you didn't have to sit through 2 hours to find out what happened.
Why is the word grass 5 letters instead of 500? It's because it's a short and efficient way to transfer information. If AI is able to improve information transfer that's amazing
randomopining commented on Ask HN: I don't want to work in software anymore. Where do I go? · Posted by u/needtoquitmyjob
Work hard when you want and build your domains. Don't stress about work, it's not worth stressing. Know your worth and bring that worth to the table when it's time to talk about raises etc.
I've thought the same thing. But software pays well, is fairly chill, and when you contribute to a big project you naturally build a position of value.
randomopining commented on Sleep is essential – researchers are trying to work out why nature.com/articles/d4158... · Posted by u/sohkamyung
I think this is pretty common! More sleep makes everything better -- attention, immune system (getting colds less often), mood, etc.
I feel like a different person sometimes. And going to bed even 1hr earlier makes it generally much higher quality.
I initially picked up programming because I wanted to create things (well, initially break things, but moved on from that), and the programming was one way of doing that. I only learned how to structure my programs, because they became hard to change. I only learned testing and refactoring, because I noticed I was faster when the code was better and more tested, even if the upfront cost was slightly higher.
If I was 14-15 around this time, when I first picked up programming, but had an LLM on my side, I'm not sure what the outcome would be, to be honest. I'd use them, that's for sure, but once I got a working application out of them, would I be curious enough to understand as much as I understand now, if it wasn't required? Or would I have been able to learn even more and faster, since I wouldn't have been all alone banging my head against some trivial problem for weeks?
AI is just another abstraction. It's not like a senior Java dev can implement LocalDate.now() or CompletableFuture.await()
randomopining commented on Do viruses trigger Alzheimer's? economist.com/science-and... · Posted by u/helsinkiandrew
I think there is something to viruses being a big agent of aging. I'm 40 and recently came down with a bad case of norovirus, followed by some kind of flu-like thing. 3 weeks of illness. Afterwards, I felt as if I had aged 10 years, and looking into the mirror it was like looking at what I will probably look like at 50.
It made me wonder how much of aging is mediated by damage from infection, which we fight off, but come out of weaker for it.
It certainly makes me want to double check all my vaccines, and once my kids are older, practice a little better hygiene including things like masking up in tight spaces (pretty much impossible with a 6 and 9 year old in the house, they are the vector right now).
Important to take certain antioxidants and supplements after. Plus whole good food. Focusing heavily on good sleep and rest (so hard). And doing some level of exercise, but even just starting with walking.
I had a post viral effect after Covid. But maybe 2 months. Then I finally took it easy with working out and it went away.
randomopining commented on Is Ketamine Neurotoxic? desmolysium.com/ketaminen... · Posted by u/amadeuspagel
well, LSD is not safe either. Of 3 people I took it with, in high dose, for various reasons, only one of us left the encounter better off and largely unscathed. Professional psychiatric help doesn't have great odds either but they're significantly better than an anecdotal 1/4, and when things go wrong people tend to know why and how to help. Leave the research and unproven chemicals to the researchers I guess?
What happened to the other 3?
randomopining commented on Is Ketamine Neurotoxic? desmolysium.com/ketaminen... · Posted by u/amadeuspagel
Dude; how can you say you are a failure in your early 30s? You have just finished being a kid and learned to navigate the adult work. You still haven't done anything worthwhile, and you're about to start. You have just finished the tutorial to life, and now are facing the question of now what?
Sincerely, a late 30s guy that has been through a massive burnout, mid life crisis and journey to discover myself in the past 5 years.
Millions of people have been through the same in the whole of history. Many have left notes about their experience for posterity. Time to hit the library, my friend.
(The things that have helped the most have been, in no order: talk therapy, solitude, the Tao Te Ching, Alan Watts, Camus, Nietzsche, and many more, rediscovering my long lost teenage dreams, understanding that nature is a crucial part to mental sanity and restoration)
Take care, and good luck.
Really ironically all of life up until 30 is kind of following a general script that's handed to you. And that kind of lets you get out of your own head, in a lot of ways. Then when you're ~30 and you have skills, you have some resources, and you understand pitfalls of life... there isn't much more of a set script left except the wife + kids + white picket fence script. And it takes some effort to figure out how/what your autobiographical script will be. (writing this as a 32 year old who hasn't figured it out)
randomopining commented on Is Ketamine Neurotoxic? desmolysium.com/ketaminen... · Posted by u/amadeuspagel
I’m sorry you feel the way you do. Reading through your post, it is deeply rooted in your view of yourself. When I turn too far inward I can relate. It’s hard because your writing indicates you like to think and analyze, and you have embraced the “warm blanket” of self loathing since it is very comfortable for you.
I hope you don’t find what I'm about to say glib. I don’t mean it that way. I truly believe that you can find meaning through shifting your focus from inside to outside yourself. I say this only because this has benefits to me. I realize that may not mean it works for you, but I hope it will.
Try giving freely of your talents to others. You mention your math career. Try finding people who struggle with math and tutor them. For free. Start slow & easy, and focus on their growth not yourself.
I also encourage you to unplug and find ways to reconnect with nature. Walks where you do nothing but notice the colors of the flower petals, or the rippling of the water. No distractions. Just practicing on focusing outward with no expectations.
I hope you can find some meaning in this crazy life. Sometimes I resort to a pascal style wager - this is by definition my only shot at life, so why not try and see what happens?
You're on point. Really if you look at all the religions and creeds that have stood the test of time, they all kind of shift focus away from satisfying your ego so much. It's so easy for the mind to rationalize this or that as a failure, given enough time to neurotically brood. Even if you're actually in a very good spot in life.
I've been avoiding the typical outrageous statements from the current POTUS for many years, but his comments at his press conference today, about how DEI hiring could be responsible for this accident, are just unbelievable. And all of a sudden it seems to have made him to decide that the FAA needs a director today.
Yeah same here. Somehow these latest today by T have gone overboard and struck a chord. What an absolute bozo he is.