jimrandomh comments on Link: The Case for Working With Your Hands - Less Wrong

20 Post author: Daniel_Burfoot 28 May 2009 02:16PM

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Comment author: AndySimpson 28 May 2009 09:23:27PM 3 points [-]

Reality is not very harsh when all you're dealing with is a broken motorcycle or a program that won't compile. When you're dealing with public policy, which even in its best form is usually social triage, deciding who gets what and who will be left unemployed, poor, sick, in debt, unfunded, oppressed, or dead, the facts have a much greater sting.

And, as MichaelVassar points out, political success is usually pretty clear cut, at least in the long run. Just ask Walter Mondale or John McCain.

Comment author: jimrandomh 28 May 2009 09:31:46PM 4 points [-]

It's not the severity of the consequences that matters, but the distance. If a program or a motorcycle is broken, you can see that almost immediately. If a public policy is broken, it may take years for the problems to become clear, by which time the thought processes that lead to the bad decision will be long forgotten and cannot be connected to their consequences.

Comment author: AndySimpson 28 May 2009 10:17:02PM 0 points [-]

Understood. I should've made it clear I was responding specifically to

A large part of the satisfaction of motorcycle work that Crawford describes comes from the fact that such work requires one to confront reality, however harsh it may be. Reality cannot be placated by hand-waving, Powerpoint slides, excuses, or sweet talk. But the very harshness of the challenge means that when reality yields to the finesse of a craftsman, the reward is much greater.

Comment author: RobinZ 25 May 2010 09:40:15PM 2 points [-]

Nearly a year late, but the reality that motorcycle mechanics must adhere to is the selfsame reality which justifies their job: the continued operation of the motorcycle. In contrast, the politician must adhere to many factors - public opinion, party loyalty, fundraising, etc. - which are only weakly related to the reality which justifies their job: public well-being.

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