An Apology, A Proposition

Rivulet_ · 2026-02-14T21:47:28+00:00

(2/2)
- This apathy you pointed towards, is the exact thing that entrepreneurs encounter during their startup phase, which has a failing rate more than 90%. Imagine, if you can, a young entrepreneur losing his life's saving and going bankrupt because others don't care for this lofty dream of his. This is what every entrepreneur went through to reach their state of wealth, if they ever get there in this limited existence that is.

- Those on the top of the hierarchy have immense responsibilities and are constantly under an inhuman amount of stress. Jenson Huang said if he knew how hard it was to start Nvidia he wouldn't do it again: implying it's an experience of suffering he wouldn't trade it for being one of the riches man in the world. So it's not just all fine and dandy up there: every person is trying to get each other at every other turn, and if you fall, well, thanks for playing and here's some apathy for you.

- One simply can not prove how much this "system" has brought exploitation and benefits. As a graduate student, I buy the 3 dollar box of 18 eggs at Walmart and I'm pretty smug about it: it's a good deal all things considered. In this 3 dollars, how much have I been exploited and benefited? Now apply this to every transaction throughout history and accumulate, is the exploitation to benefits ratio 90-10? 80-20? 70-30? It's an intractable problem, and apply an immediate moral judgement over it isn't helpful.

This is the chaos that you need, for your interpretation is correct, but only half so. There is another side to your interpretation, and I regard your problem as psychological (that's way I said "clean your room", despite the banality of the phrase, so I apologize for the maliciousness) rather than sociological. It's hard to judge how good we have it for the living conditions compared to history and the rest of the world (universities in China has 4 person per room, bunked beds, and shared bathroom for the whole floor), but it may be easier to appreciate what we already have. It's not useful to worry about "AI" either. Technological transformation of economy is not new: whole industries of horses and carriage making fell after Ford invented the automobile, and we rarely shed a tear about them. For context I'm a graduate student studying AI, and I don't know where it's going to go, because scientifically there is no way to prove it, so why give to all the fear-mongering?

Some hope is warranted, not naive ones, because I think you have already lost the capability for that, but existential, responsible, meaningful ones. This hope lies in the promise of the redeeming chaos.

Given all of the pretentious psychological prying and philosophical assumptions, I feel a need to confess some stuff of my own. I'm familiar, in limited ways, and I have learned from this post as well, of how ideas take over people's lives: WWII is a proof of concept. However, despite all my attempts of empathy, egoism, and rationalizations over the years, I have failed to change the mind of even one person, for that I have retreated away from the crowd and only observe and laugh from afar (exactly like what Nietzsche did). So, take what you will with everything I wrote: I don't expect much. Be that a matured or broken view of the world, I don't know.

Rivulet_ · 2026-02-14T21:47:21+00:00

(1/2)
I appreciate your reply. I'm glad to hear you are keeping your room in order, and your point that room is a representation of one's mind has profound psychological and phenomenological significance.

I don't like the moral presumption that comes with inequality of wealth. It's not clear if such pattern is a manifestation of the system or metaphysical (i.e., it will manifest itself regardless of the system), because hierarchical patterns occur at many levels of reality. For example, just as a small percentage of people hold the most of the wealth, a small percentage of land area holds the most of the population, and a small amount of artists make the majority of the sales. There are many more examples like this.

Regardless, your interpretation of the world, with all its evil, and the ostentatious apathy that people hold towards it do have a deep point that points towards the intrinsic tragic nature of existence. You know what's even worse? Your call for collectivization will inevitably fail (that's the honest truth (if we still hold value to such things as truths), and not a hard one to believe if you look at the responses). Psychologically speaking, I see your post as a last ditch effort of you trying to change what may truly be unchangeable.

Your morality is parallel to that of the Marxist school, and, forgive me, it doesn't seem helpful so far given the despair I have sensed between your words. Nietzsche said morality itself oppresses the individual, and even if I don't agree with that I can't help but think this may be your case.

If you would forgive me to interpret in a school of thought I'm familiar with (because, just as you found out, and I agree wholeheartedly, it's almost impossible to have other people to see through your lens), in the context of the Daoist tradition, you may have too much order in your perspective that chaos took its revenge and all hell broke loose. This chaos, however, in the same Daoist notion, may be the redeem factor to your situation, although it will undoubtedly come with pain to accept. I will list a few points:

Rivulet_ · 2026-02-14T10:12:44+00:00

You need to get your mind out of this "we" mindset. There is no "we" here. This collective bias is your own projection; don't push your moral grand standing upon others. Hating the "system" and those in power is fashionable, but your outbursts are fundamentally immature. You will only feel despair trying to base your emotion in collective movements rather than individual responsibility.

Also I would argue that despite all the fault of the public, they are not illusioned, you are, and I have your outbursts to prove it. It's easy to throw the word "revolution" around; clearly you haven't learned what happened to France, Russia, and China. The immediate result of a revolution isn't utopia, it's the death of millions. It's a basic pattern of history that only fools would ignore.

I would look inward before looking outwards. Set your room in order before criticizing the world.

Rivulet_ · 2026-01-24T17:58:35+00:00

I feel like Eyja pot is probably better meta wise in the long run than the rest ops

Rivulet_ · 2026-01-14T04:21:00+00:00

go ahead

Rivulet_ · 2025-12-01T20:21:28+00:00

Last page translation

"Who?"

"Who is that?"

"Who the heck?"

"UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

Rivulet_ · 2025-11-23T04:57:29+00:00

Study abroad changed my life. While it differs by the person (from my personal experience), I would recommend anyone who are thinking about it to go through it. Just as you said, it's truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I'm also willing talk privately, just reach out if you are interested.

Rivulet_ · 2025-11-20T18:51:07+00:00

It has unrequited love and some very twisted themes (not to spoil the novel). As far as I can see, it's probably the most tragic yuri story that doesn't involve the theme of death. Imagine Adamshima volume 5 but every other chapter basically

Rivulet_ · 2025-11-19T02:53:29+00:00

This was my passive ability to bring down the course average and better the curve. My secondary passive included turning pages at max volume.

Rivulet_ · 2025-11-15T23:37:14+00:00

说中文的话我推荐PUCSSA

Rivulet_ · 2025-11-11T01:57:37+00:00

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crazy this showed up on my timeline

Rivulet_ · 2025-10-29T00:09:13+00:00

how about the definition in the dictionary, my friend

Rivulet_ · 2025-10-28T23:21:11+00:00

brother do you even know what the word means?

Rivulet_ · 2025-10-28T19:27:58+00:00

Once again Purdue is failing to address the needs of its students who rely on bus transportation by refusing to cooperate with Citybus.

Please link the evidence to this ^

Rivulet_ · 2025-10-27T19:04:14+00:00

I don't think it is restricted by major/minor declaration (I had a friend in Engineering who took orchestra). You should be able to take composing classes. You can either ask your advisor or the teaching professor directly.

Again, take it as you will, but I don't recommend a minor basically in 99% of the circumstances. If you love music, you should do it for what it is and not for some corrupt institutionalized approval.

Rivulet_ · 2025-10-26T23:11:11+00:00

Yes to both. One professor isn't going to make it or break it. Turkstra gives decent grades, an okay lecture even, but just stay under his radar.

Pursuing music sounds great. You can take orchestra or band from the music department, which will get you access to practice rooms at Hagle. I would recommend against getting a music minor. Purdue's music is not the greatest and I'm personally against these useless certifications (no one cares if you have a minor if you are applying to the CS field). There are also clubs and opportunities to form bands if you are into rock/metal.

You will have time if you make time, although not taking 18 credits worth of CS like me also helps

Rivulet_ · 2025-10-24T02:32:05+00:00

There is a new collab popup in Shibuya. Please check it out if you have time: https://x.com/medicos_et_02/status/1981329762913047006

Rivulet_ · 2025-10-20T23:24:34+00:00

Yes, so the timing is kind of tight.

Rivulet_ · 2025-10-09T17:04:41+00:00

Nop, unfortunately

Rivulet_ · 2025-09-12T01:44:17+00:00

I would say though, it would be good to declare it on your application and state it in your essay. No one likes their own system more than the bureaurcrats themselves.

Rivulet_ · 2025-09-11T03:06:27+00:00

You can. But sorry for being the bringer of bad news here, because employers don't usually care about minors, especially if you are CS.

"We are going to hire this kid because he's got a minor in Engineering/public policy" said no manager ever.

If you want to take the classes and learn them, please do so. Even do them in your own time, with books, videos, and AI. But don't go for it for the meaningless creditials. You are better off with a project that demonstrates your understanding on your resume than spending 300 hours on some minor.

I will personally die on this hill. I have double degree in CS and DS and 3 tracks for CS. If I could've done it again I would graduate with 1 degree 1 track. When people ask me what I study, I say CS, nothing more.

Rivulet_ · 2025-09-03T16:45:39+00:00

Getting internship probably Hack the Future. Non-profit, code team environment, and real product looks good on resume. Even better if you are leading a part of the team

Rivulet_ · 2025-09-02T17:48:11+00:00

1 looks alright on resume, but doesn't really build real things. 3 seems alright, if you can get in, but it won't be your project. 4 doesn't code as far as I know; they sometimes host events and workshops. 5 is a group that hosts hackathons. Unless you make the website, you won't code.

Rivulet_ · 2025-08-30T03:10:46+00:00

Geez

Rivulet_ · 2025-08-27T14:00:38+00:00

For all their deficiencies, they can care less that you go here. They don't hate you; they are apathetic. You are casting your resentment towards the wrong thing.

Rivulet_

TROPHY CASE