Egoism and Altruism
The Fountainhead deals with these two views at the core of every main character. Here are the definitions of each --
Egoism: the view that we are always motivated by self-interest or that we always should be so motivated. Contemporary rational choice theorists attempt to understand how actual social institutions can be based on the choices of individuals acting according to egoist principles. The prisoner's dilemma and other problem cases show difficulties with this approach.
Altruism: the view that the well-being of others should have as much importance for us as the well-being of ourselves. Some argue that altruism, even if it is desirable, is not possible, and that our ethics must be based on egoism.
The true definition of altruism can not, and will never be exemplified in a human being. The only person that has achieved true altruism is Jesus Christ (you could argue him to be an egoist). It's not possible to reach true altruism because nobody can possibly have absolute humility; even the most minute hint of pride negates the possibility of achieving it. But I don't want to come out against it either; look at what some of these billionaires have done -- Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Google.org have done and are currently doing some amazing things for the world as a whole. I have complete respect for all these people that are involved in helping others; it's a noble thing. But to say that anybody is a true altruist is fallacy.
And what's wrong with being an egoist ? Why can't one be self-sufficient ? Nearly everybody's (I leave out Mark Cuban :p) self-respect is defined by what other people speak over them. The "you are"'s become "I am"'s, as Pastor Greg said tonight at 1221. It's so true though; why can't we have our own images of ourself, and not care about what anybody else thinks ? What's wrong with that ? Sure, when someone tries to stick it to everybody else, they will take so much crap. But at the end of the day, you are not defined by what other people think of you; you are defined by yourself. Bleh.
The problem with me is I feel that I can't express in writing what is in my head; it seems like it doesn't make sense in words. It all works up in my head though. Anyways...
Read The Fountainhead. You wan't regret it.
Petition for a 36 hour day!
There simply is not enough time to get everything in a 24 hour day. Here is my schedule Mon-Thursday (Fri-Sun are super productive days)
6:30am: wake up/shower/breakfast
7:00am: turn on laptop, get on skype, open outlook, check mail
7:30am: watch the latest rocketboom while packing my backpack for school
7:45am: leave for school
...
2:30pm: get out of school
2:45pm: get home, unpack everything, get a water bottle from the fridge and start drinking
3:00pm: open laptop up and download all emails for work. start work
6:30pm: after working for 3 and a half hours, i realize i won't be able to get enough work done because i have to go to dinner/gym/[ytot]/[tim's pg]/meeting
7:00pm: dinner/relaxation
8:00pm: work work work
11:00pm: i check backpackit.com for the homework assignments in my to-do lists and realize i have too much. so i do my homework until 12:30am
1:00am: sit and realize that there's not enough time in one day to get everything done. maybe i should homeschool... my buddy mark griffo did...
1:30am: start reading one of my books (current one is the fountainhead)
2:30am: sleeeeeeeeeep! good ol' sleep.
NOW... I do understand that there are moments and minutes where I could slip in a bit more productivity; but still, there is no way I can get everything done. Whatever, I'll just plow through all the work ahead of me untill I'm finished with it.
Speaking of no time to do anything else, I decided to give back to the community. I created the UC Davis Aggies Football schedule on Google Calendar. I'll post when I'm going to be at one of the games, hope to see you there ! Click the little Google Calendar icon to get it...
20-30 hours of work devoted to one class each week?
This must be a typo... Or some type of sick joke. I'm taking two AP classes this year, and in the course description for one of them I quote it -
"Students are expected to spend at least 20 to 30 hours a week or more for this course and it is because it is an Advanced Placement or college level course, and during the short summer the semester is cut in half. "
Ok, there is absolutely NO way that this can be right. You couldn't make me devote more than 30 hours a week to all of school; much less one class... That's 30 hours that you could be learning something relevant. Learning a new programming language, writing up marketing plans, developing a start up. Come on, this is just pushing it. 30 hours devoted to one class ? My parents work 40 hour weeks, and you expect me to take 6 hard classes. That would be 180 hours a week devoted to school. Never. Ever. Ever. Maybe 18 hours... Now that's reasonable.
I think what my entire reason for posting all these blogs about high schools comes down to this: I want applicable real world lessons from my classes and teachers.
I'm going to be presenting some stuff to Will C. Wood's Student Government class in a few weeks about technology, apparently they are looking to bring their school up to date! I can't wait.
Public vs. Charter vs. Private
I went to the Wood vs. Elk Grove game tonight, and it was quite an experience. It was the first time in a long time that I went somewhere and only knew 5 people; I'm used to knowing everyone. As I sat in the bleachers, I forgot about everyone around me. All the drunk girls dancing, the joke of a halftime show, the people around me who dropping the f bomb every three words, the gangsters, the preps, everything.
I took a step back for a few minutes and started to think about high school. I've had many discussions with friends about this topic: public vs. charter vs. private. My best friend goes to private, another really good friend goes to public, and James goes to Buckingham with me. Here's how it is:
Public school - It's huge. People coming from so many different backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, upbringings, etc... There's always one group of girls that stick together who think they run the school. If you think/act/talk like you're popular, you're popular. It's so big that no one even cares. The school counselor isn't concerned about getting you into college. Hell, the counselors don't even care about getting you into the right classes. Kids are in their senior years scrambling to meet college requirements because they didn't take the right classes in previous years. I give public schools a huge plus for sports and school pride though. It's nonexistent at Buckingham...
Charter school - It's small. At least at Buckingham, the teachers genuinely care about their students. The problem with being small is 1) the sports suck and 2) your school is underfunded. Oh yeah, school functions such as "rallies" and "dances" really, really blow. And at Buckingham, no one parties. Quite a big difference from public school, almost the opposite.
Private school - It's like charter school, but there's one difference. The kids. Kids at private schools [usually] have parents with money. And usually, parents with money means family lives that are stable. These kids have it easy; they don't have to worry about going home and your parents yelling at eachother. This makes school a lot easier, all you have to focus on is your classes and getting your homework done. Usually, private schools have decent sports because they play in leagues well below public school levels. And on a personal note, I love uniforms. I wish that charter schools would make wearing uniforms mandatory; everybody dresses the same, and when you go out, you stand out and people recognize what school you're from. I love that, but that's just me. I know girls hate uniforms...
If I could do it over, I would go to a huge private school. One like Saint Ignacious in SF. But for the first time in three years, I'm beginning to like Buckingham. I appreciate everything about it; the small atmosphere, the teachers who care, and knowing everybody.
I'm launching the new 1221youth.org website in a week from today, so I'll be working like crazy until that's finished.
Dating in high school
Retrospectively, I completely agree with my dad's advice to not date in high school. But hind sight is 20/20. And speaking of vision, I need to get some glasses; it's hard to drive when you can't see the road signs until they're 10 feet in front of you :p...
But seriously, I find dating in high school to be one of the stupidest things ever. I am passionately against it. I know of only two couples that dated all through high school and got married. I don't think I'm being pessemistic about these relationships; I think I'm just being realistic. I try being objectional objective and listen to my friends who are dating, but the more and more I see these relationships fall apart, the more and more I know my view of it is right.
Here's a list of my reasons why dating is a waste of time in high school
#1 - It's a waste of time
All the time that you could be learning, gaining an edge on everyone else in life. While they're out wasting their time with their partners, you are free to learn anything! Oh the possibilities... You could become a senior web developer, an award winning designer, an architect, a writer for the newspaper. All this time could be spent towards something that has relevant to your life after high school.
#2 - It's such a waste of money
Unless you're making $100 an hour, then you have no business taking a girl on extravagent dates. Spending your life savings on your girlfriend's birthday present is stupider than spending it on weed. Well maybe not, but they're both just as stupid. The worst is when a girl is waiting to break up with the guy, but "only after my birthday." I have a friend who did that, she got a Tiffany necklace and then broke up with him 3 days later. Smart move buddy, should have spent that $500 on yourself.
#3 - It's a waste of emotions
Emotions that you can't get back. Ok this is getting kind of gay, enough said about that.
#4 - You lose all of your friends
This is true about almost any relationship; the couple ditches everyone else so they can spend that precious time with eachother. Oh, did I mention that all that time was a waste ? If you've got close enough friends, then they'll accept you back when you've broken up with your "lover." Psh. Writing this makes me hate high school dating even more.
#5 - It's suuuuuuuch a waste of money
Money that you could invest. Money that you could pay for college with. Money that you could buy a car with. Money that you could open a company with. Money makes the world go 'round, not your stupid girlfriend.
Ok I'm done. The list is much longer, but I'm too tired to embellish. Those are my 5 main points, and I'll always stick by them. Because in the end, I'll be right every single time.
Morals, ethics and business: what I have learned
I've been working for Okapi for nearly 6 months now. Here are some things I have learned about the world of business. Most of them are mistakes I made that will never happen again, and some are just thoughts.
#1 - Sign contracts for everything
And when I say everything, I MEAN everything. If it's a stupid $500 code clean up job, write a contract. If it's a $50,000 corporate website, write a big contract :). People lie. Even "Christians".
#2 - Charge for everything
Don't ever take a hit; if you need to buy equipment for the job, add it to the tab. If you can't operate with the right tools for the job, then it's pointless for your contractor to employ you, right ? I would not include most software under this point though, such as Studio 8 or Photoshop. Those are just necessary in day to day life.
#3 - Work your hardest
The work you do right now isn't just for the present monetary gain. The work you do now is the #1 thing that will bring new clients to the table later.
#4 - Join a company with people that work their hardest
Since Okapi is based in Bucharest, Romania, we operate on huge time delays. They're 10 hours ahead of me I believe. But the guys I work with are constantly working until 3am to get projects done, and we seem to talk every day about projects. I honestly think we have one of the best designers in the world, Gabi Lungu, and Andrei Ostacie (president of Okapi) works harder than anyone I have ever met.
#5 - There is a little bit of money in services, but there are billions in products
That's why Okapi has recently split into three different departments -- Okapi Development, Okapi Design, and Okapi Marketing. All are joined to form Okapi Studio, but we purposefully split off a development team so they could focus on web applications. My first start up is coming soon, we are developing it right now. I can't wait...
#6 - Read. Read. Read. Read
One of my favorite teachers ever, Mrs. Oates, used to say "the world belongs to readers." That was in 10th grade, and I didn't believe her. Two years later, I stand not only corrected, but converted. I try to read every spare second I get. Some of my favorite books have been "The Likeability Factor" by Tim Sanders, and "The Little Red Book of Sales" by Jeffrey Gitomer. Both are extremely practical and insightful
#7 - Don't alienate your fan base; never forget where you came from, and who made you successful
This is more of a thought that I have when thinking about success. Anyways... Your fans are the people that made you big. Fans is a broad category; it includes your first customers, your friends, your family and your community. It seems that when people become rich and famous they tend to forget what made them. No one gets to where they are all by themselves, they have to have fans. People that believe in them or support them. This is true in every single case of a successful person.
#8 - Just because you're rich doesn't mean you have to spend more
Novel concept. A lesson I learned from my dad. He dresses like a bum and drives around some janky cars. Yeah, you get the idea.
#9 - Read the blogs of those who have made it
My favorite blog of all time is blogmaverick.com, Mark Cuban's blog. Another one I check regularly is Signal vs. Noise, an extremely insightful blog by 37signals. They know how to run their businesses. To be the best, you have to learn from the best.
#10 - When I'm rich, I'm going to ski. A LOT
I don't know why I added this. Notice how I say "when I'm rich." Speaking it into existence :p... But on my "hit list" for once I make it is...
- Whistler Blackcomb, BC, Canada
- Vail, Colorado
- The Alps
- and ALPINE MEADOWS!!!
If I think of anything else, I'll add to this. There are a few more that I tend to think of when I'm sitting in school, zoning out to what the current teacher is jabbering about.
The public high school system
School is back. Classes from 8:00-2:30 every day.
I wake up every morning around 7:00 with another long, boring day of school ahead of me. I grew up in private school, so public school is quite a change for me. Here are a few things that I wish I could change in the system.
#1 - If there are kids in classes that don't want to be there, kick them out
They not only waste their time, but the time of 30 other kids. Give the students 1 chance to change after they are kicked out of the class the first time, but the second time don't let them come back.
#2 - Offer technology classes that are at a college level
I can attest to the fact that teenagers aren't stupid when it comes to technology. We shouldn't have to wait until college to take Computer Science classes. If I had a dream school, I would have entire courses for students to learn programming languages. I would have a Flash course, PHP course, Ruby on Rails course, Java course, and JavaScript course. Students would become extremely good at programming, and could work on real world web applications if they knew the languages.
#3 - No homework
High Schoolers don't do it anyways. Plus all the web developers at the school don't need another distraction :p
#4 - A winter break that is a month and a half
Students would get out of school December 14 and come back February 1. This would give students a chance to get out in the real world and work on web applications instead of focusing so much on school. Completely necessary; students need to apply the things they've done in school or else they'll forget it.
Plus that gives students a month and a half to ski at Alpine Meadows :)
#5 - The school should have companies that support the school
If I was the principal, I would try to recruit the best designers, video editors and web developers. Start your own media company, and the company's revenue would go directly back into the school.
I don't know if any of this is possible, I know I'll probably never work in the education industry. But if I had a chance to start a private school, that's what it would be like.