TsviBT comments on Rationality Quotes March 2014 - Less Wrong

4 Post author: malcolmocean 01 March 2014 03:34PM

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Comment author: TsviBT 09 March 2014 05:08:18AM 14 points [-]

The secret of life is: This is not a drill.

-The Wise Man in Darkside, a radio play by Tom Stoppard

Comment author: Weedlayer 10 March 2014 06:55:56AM *  17 points [-]

This quote reminded me of a quote from an anime called Kaiji, albeit your quote is much more succinct.

Normally, those people would never wake up from their fantasy worlds. They live meaningless lives. They waste their precious days over nothing. No matter how old they get, they'll continue to say, "My real life hasn't started yet. The real me is still asleep, so that's why my life is such garbage." They continue to tell themselves that. They continue. And they age. Then die. And on their deathbeds, they will finally realize: the life they lived was the real thing. People don't live provisional lives, nor do they die provisional deaths. That's a simple fact! The problem... is whether they realize that simple fact.

  • Yukio Tonegawa in Kaiji
Comment author: [deleted] 16 March 2014 03:06:54AM 4 points [-]

More succinctly...

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

-- John Lennon, “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)”

Comment author: dspeyer 21 March 2014 04:47:33AM 6 points [-]

I. This Is Not A Game.
II. Here And Now, You Are Alive.

-- Om and many other gods, Small Gods, Terry Pratchett

Comment author: Stabilizer 09 March 2014 08:08:37AM 14 points [-]

This is not a drill. Therefore, make sure you have drills for the really important bits.

Comment author: Manfred 10 March 2014 05:38:45AM *  24 points [-]

And bits for the really important drills.

Comment author: DanielLC 25 March 2014 10:07:17PM 1 point [-]

And make sure that the bit is properly secured and the chuck key is removed before operating the drill.

Comment author: [deleted] 09 March 2014 06:56:34PM 3 points [-]

And when someone tries to be the wall the stands in your way, you'll have something that will open a hole in them every time: your drill.

(In a related matter, if there's a wall in your way, smash it down. If there isn't a path, carve one yourself.)

Comment author: AndekN 17 March 2014 10:32:36AM 4 points [-]

if there's a wall in your way, smash it down

BUT keep Chesterton's Fence in mind: if you don't know why there is a wall on your way, don't go blindly smashing it down. It might be there for a reason. First make absolutely sure you know why the wall exists in the first place; only then you may proceed with the smashing.

Comment author: DanielLC 25 March 2014 10:25:29PM 1 point [-]

Yours is the drill that will pierce the Heavens!

--Kamina, in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Comment author: [deleted] 29 March 2014 09:20:17PM -1 points [-]

Just who the hell do you think we are!? </mandatory>

Comment author: Stabilizer 17 March 2014 11:08:31AM 1 point [-]

I like the sentiment, but you do realize that breaking walls has costs.

Comment author: chaosmage 12 March 2014 05:53:30PM *  2 points [-]

Funny. I came up with almost the exact same line:

One future will be happening
and we must choose: Which will
we someday be inhabiting?
So this is not a drill.

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