Mathematics is perfectly rigorous — but nevertheless too abstract
Spirituality, psychology, are abstract yet tangible — alas hardly rigorous
Engineering is the perfect marriage of RIGOROUS yet PRACTICAL
The world is messy
Some of this messiness is impossible to make sense of
Those that pretend to be making sense of it are typically delusional, conspirational, mad
Logic is beautiful
Everything adds up in logic
If you’re right — you’re right
If you’re wrong — you’re wrong
If you don’t know — you don’t know
ALAS the world is not so clean and logical and sterile
Engineering is the beautiful overlap between the LOGICAL RIGOUR of the ABSTRACT IDEAS — and the MESSINESS and PROBABILISTIC NATURE of the real world
I’m not saying engineers are the greatest philosophers, or the most successful at life-living
Engineering is somewhat boring, isn’t it
Business is better, more life-like
Engineering is too specialised — so inevitably less of your energy and time goes into exploring the nature of reality — and more into exploring the fucking nature of combustion engines
Business problems are more life-like problems
However the edge of engineering is that it teaches you SYSTEMS
RIGOROUS SYSTEMS, which have to make perfect sense on paper — and THEN STILL WORK IN THE REAL LIFE
It’s far more rigorous, and far more real — then some bullshit business pitch
I would nevertheless say that on average business people are superior at life-living
But engineering mind, in isolation, is superior mind
The MOST superior mind is ENGINEER-CEO
The business roots someone in YET greater range of life-like realities, challenges, problems
NOW,
Am I saying that the best life-livers and philosophers are ENGINEERS-CEO, then engineers, then business people?
On average, yes
However this has to be put into perspective
Which is that absolutely MOST PEOPLE are UTTERLY ATROCIOUS at:
-LIFE LIVING
-PHILOSOPHY
Therefore they suck ANYWAY
So ultimately this text is purely hypothetical
Philosophers are useless at life. It’s too abstract. They read too much, do too little
Business people have NO REAL clue about philosophy, about REAL knowledge
They’ll read a self-help book or two, a wikipedia article about some philosopher, do a little bit of meditation, and that’s it
I’M NOT saying it’s wrong, what I described. I think it’s great.
But they could read a LITTLE bit more,
While philosophers could start a business
Oh and engineers won’t even read a self-help book, or philosophy book. They don’t give a shit, they’re more interested in some new rocket
Let’s repeat: most people are garbage at philosophy, garbage at reality
A pro academic has the advantage of having read it all and heard it all — therefore in his domain you’ll always sound stupid in comparison to him, because he knows it inside out, and your new idea is old too him. Regardless if you’re right or wrong. Likely you’re wrong though
A real-life doer, engineer or businessman — has the advantage of MAKING REAL THINGS — therefore NO ONE can tell him how something works — because HE MAKES THINGS WORK
But the problem of LIFE-LIVING, PHILOSOPHY, and all the rest of the REALITY — is too much for ANYONE
Therefore every class of humans will struggle
Academics will have clueless abstract theories
“Real world people” will have ignorant opinions
AND that’s why I think business-engineers COULD have the greatest shot
They will 99% of the time be atrocious anyway
They can be brilliant at what they do — but will still be atrocious at understanding reality
Still be ultracrepidarians
BUT ON AVERAGE,
I believe their unique position at the crossover of RIGOROUS SYSTEMS — and REAL WORLD PRACTICALITY — is what places them ahead
Conclusion?
Learn some fucking science, engineering
Start a business
Do more things with your own hands
Understand how technology around you works
Don’t shy away from doing a little engineering, tinkering
Learn to think in systems
Mathematics, physics, philosophy, logic — teach great systems.
Learn to think from first principles — AND apply it to REAL world = engineering
Learn to learn
And CONTINUOUSLY TEST yourself
And for something to be a TEST — it’s result must be susceptible of FALSIFYING your beliefs,
If you can’t be falsified, proven wrong — you become delusional, by definition. It’s just a matter of time.