On 11/07/2018 09:51, Kenneth wrote:
> "Shay" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
>> Loud!, just for fun.
>>
>> In 2007, I planned a lot of this out on pencil and paper while working my way
>> across the Atlantic on a jack-up drilling rig--which was itself perched atop a
>> massive submersible cargo ship.
>>
>> Career wise, life is a little less interesting now, and ambitious hand-coded
>> digital art is--as far as I can tell--dead. I rebuilt this model last year (with
>> a slightly different set of compromises), but I never bothered to show it. There
>> aren't many left in the world who can see it for what it is: 100,000s of
>> triangles, 1000s of lines of code, 10s of deliberate mathematical choices, 10s
>> of pages of notes, days of work, compromises, design, details, details, details.
>> [snip]
>>
>> I have an arguably negative habit of developing skills no one understands or
>> cares about. I wonder if my career would be more interesting if I'd made LESS
>> interesting choices...
>>
> 

Firstly, Shay's image is gorgeous. It would make a fascinating cyclic 
animation.


> That last sentence is something I think about a great deal as well. Then I think
> of all the wonderful adventures I've had because of my own acreer choices in
> far-flung places (while others of my friends have never even left the towns they
> were born in!)
> 

I can't say how pleased I am to read that.

Only today while emailing a friend. I counted up the number of jobs I've 
had. After mentioning the phrase. "Jack of all trades and master of none."
Starting as a "milk delivery boy" when I was at school. I have had 52 
jobs in 29 industries in 13 countries. Most of them involving problem 
solving. It gives one an outlook different from most people I know.

> I think that hand-crafting *anything* shows a desire for improving one's
> abilities-- and takes skill and dedication. Which, sadly, many people just don't
> seem to have.  It also has added benefits, of improving the mind in general--
> because having to THINK is good mental exercise, no matter what the subject.  As
> I look around me, at people my own age (and especially younger), what I see is
> essentially a world of button-pushers-- people who are relatively good at their
> particular jobs (and those job skills) but who really don't know HOW things
> work, HOW to make things, or WHAT to do to solve problems that are outside of
> their own little spheres of life.  The on-rush of technology can be blamed for
> part of that (especially smartphones and their apps)-- but what I see is an
> increasing laziness to actually THINK.

What you say is true. IMO.
Young people here in the UK can't even add up in their heads, any more.

> 
> Consider yourself to be part of the 'enlightened' few!
> 
> It's probably true that *anything* in the modern world can now be made -- and
> made faster-- by robots, or 3-D printing-- or even more efficient CGI programs
> ;-) But there is pride in creating something by hand (whatever that something
> is), just for its own sake; and of having to solve problems along the way. (I
> think problem-solving is one of the most enjoyable aspects of making things--
> even if I fail!)
> 
Again here, there is a resurgence in the old traditional trades. Such as 
thatching, wood and metal working. A very small resurgence but at least 
some people are keeping the skills alive


> Just because robots can now paint lifelike paintings doesn't mean that we should
> throw away our paintbrushes and declare that art is 'dead' ;-)
> 
> 

Hear, hear.


-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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