grecht

This is not computer science, but programming.

Very moving. Often, this is called a "quiet, simple life". I like that this obituary does not do that. Being there for your family, acting in accordance with your values and standing up for yourself, being content with what you have - this is not "simple" at all. Someone to look up to.

I personally expected some smug scientism so I was relieved, not disappointed!

I once visited the remains of the studio in that cellar in Köln-Ossendorf as part of an excursion at university. I felt it was quite sad how it was just parked there, you wouldn't have assumed its historical importance.

Maybe this is a bit of a pessimistic view, but they are bound to become disillusioned. Nobody will move as fast as they want them to. Even if they are experts in energy policy, energy market design or engineering (i.e. not "using the lens of literature and philosophy [...]" to use a quote from the article), their contribution to limiting global warming will be insignificant. If they have deeply anti-capitalist stances, they might find a job in a degrowth think tank and make even less of a difference. And most importantly, climate change poses much less of a financial risk to the economy than they think, so companies won't become environmentally conscious unless politics introduces those environmental externalities into their balances.

I'd consider myself a part of this group and I also want to find meaning in my work - but I try to manage my expectations.

I feel like most people wouldn’t need this kind of bad lesson to know what not to do. And those who would are a lost cause anyway, as they probably know that what they’re doing is wrong.

He’s not punishing someone in need. Nobody has a right to someone else’s organs, however life-saving they may be. The fundamental idea of a ”donation“ is that it’s voluntary.

This is great. I also want affordable housing for everyone, but capping rents does not deal with the core problem: There's not enough supply. I am baffled how some people do not understand this.

Also, for many people in Germany buying e.g. a single apartment is an investment for their later retirement. It's not all big and evil real estate companies.

Can you hear the difference between 320 kbit/s mp3 and lossless formats?

Wear shoes that fit and maintain a high enough cadence (steps / minute). If you watch your cadence, you automatically avoid taking long strides and thus landing heel first, which could damage your knees when running 10km / day.

If your editor makes you significantly more productive, maybe you're just writing boilerplate code, or something someone already implemented in a library. Touch typing is similar - it's useful because it removes some unnecessary barriers and thus makes the job more enjoyable, but it won't magically make you a better a programmer.

We're mostly on the same page. But I think you got the question wrong - they more likely would like to know how HN users try to live a life which is meaningful (to themselves). That's the kind of meaning which does exist!

I feel like people around the world deal with this very differently, depending on how severely their country has been affected.

My (European) country did quite well so far, so from our point of view he would certainly seem overly cautious. People have much less fear than during the first wave. They try to live with the risk of getting infected by accepting that it is real, but not letting it dictate everything they do, which would make life more "surviving" than "living".

And I think that's a good approach! Within the confines of necessary precautions like wearing masks, keeping your distance, and banning big events, I think it is still possible to live a life which is worth living in a responsible way. After all, I also don't mind getting into a car while being fully aware of the risks (which could be worse than COVID's depending on where you live). So yes, I do think his recommendations are too drastic and also bad for your mental health. Next to that, most of them are impossible to realize for people who aren't lucky enough to be able to work from home etc.

Maybe I would have a different opinion if I was a US resident.

I like the idea! However, I don't know much about psychology, so I'd personally be hesitant to create such a product. Certainly "releasing emotions" without a therapist could be somewhat dangerous for some people. And perhaps what actually helped him isn't using the app, but a new sense of purpose or meaning in his life due his discovery of the book and developing the app.

It'd probably be wise to consult an expert on the psychological backgrounds.