One hit wonders

Sunday, September 9, 2007

They have the talent and the enthusiasm. It’s tedious work and takes considerable time away from existing preoccupations, but it’s so much fun!

And then comes the time for the second iteration, and with it the memories of the sacrifices made. Long working hours. Weekends consumed. Hobbies neglected. If only there were more hours to a day. Besides, did anyone really care that last time? What difference did it make to the world anyway? The hill looms.

A one hit wonder isn’t always for the lack of ability.

code_martial — Sep 9, 2007 9:46:48 PM — # ↩

Did anyone really care that last time? What difference did it make to the world anyway?

Did *they* really care the last time? Did it make a difference to *them*? If the answers to these questions are both yes, they'd probably do it once again. Maybe not in the second iteration, but they will. Besides, without failure one really doesn't appreciate the value of success.
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Sep 9, 2007 10:36:59 PM — # ↩
  
  Maybe they cared for something else even more?
  - code_martial — Sep 9, 2007 10:48:25 PM — # ↩
    
    So relatively they don't care enough about winning. All I was trying to say is that they shouldn't bring others into the equation. The world matters only to the extent that it acknowledges their victory, which it wouldn't do if their work didn't have an impact on the world.
    - Kiran Jonnalagadda — Sep 10, 2007 8:20:00 AM — # ↩
      
      Isn't the relationship more nuanced and long term?
      
      If you're pretty good at two things -- pretty good but not brilliant -- want to improve and recognise it'll take a lot more effort, thereby needing to drop one of those two, wouldn't you pick on the basis of which one the world appreciates better?
      - code_martial — Sep 10, 2007 4:19:37 PM — # ↩
        
        Why can't both things be improved upon? Why does the choice have do depend on what the world appreciates? How's this connected to the original topic?
        
        Kiran Jonnalagadda — Sep 10, 2007 4:38:45 PM — # ↩
        
        Because there is only so much time in a day, and because every choice we make is in some way connected with what the world appreciates. There is no escaping it.
        
        The original topic sought to observe how ability+effort go together to make a product, and in the context of effort usually being invisible in the product, the lack of a new product does not necessarily imply the lack of ability, as is typically regarded.
        
        code_martial — Sep 10, 2007 11:50:36 PM — # ↩
        
        Ah, I thought it was about why one hit wonders exist. Yeah, I agree that lack of results don't necessarily imply lack of ability. F1 drivers are an example ;-)
2fargon — Sep 9, 2007 10:16:47 PM — # ↩

Well said.
msram — Sep 10, 2007 10:53:41 PM — # ↩

I see contemporary poetry here.

They have talent and enthusiasm.
Tedious work takes time
Away from existing preoccupations
But it was a lot of fun.

Then came time for the second iteration
With it memories of sacrifices made.
Long working hours.
Weekends consumed.
Hobbies neglected.
If only there were more hours to a day.

Did anyone care the last time around?
Did it make a difference to the world [at large]?
[Now we see] the hill looms [large].

A one hit wonder hardly has
to do with lacking ability.

Hmmm... you should send this around...
calyen — Dec 9, 2007 6:28:41 PM — # ↩

did anyone really care that last time?
i don't know why you wrote that,but it did fit me what I was doing today!