logoalt Hacker News

JKCalhounlast Friday at 12:53 PM7 repliesview on HN

“99.99 percent of the people I’ve met have been the very best in humanity,” he said. “The world is a much kinder, nicer place than it often seems.”

I wish everyone could experience this, internalize this. Sometime in my 20's or 30's I cast off any fears that I had about people and the world in general. And it was like a huge weight was left behind.

I started to believe that it was paying too much attention to the news (especially cable news when it became a thing) that had come to shackle me with fear. Getting out in the world, traveling, making yourself vulnerable even (and nixing cable) were all things that made me start to love the world and people more. (My kids know me as the Pollyanna of the family.)

I suppose I am armchair psychologizing now, but I often see fear behind a lot of people's behavior (and even some friend's) and I feel sorry for them: I see them missing out on a lot of life experiences.


Replies

tsoukaselast Friday at 1:47 PM

I would, no thoughts, help/accompany/host him in whatever occasion I meet him in my small, distant hometown, if he happened to pass by. Of course, it plays a role that he is on foot and in the edge of survival, so he can cause no damage. I wouldn't have the same attitude with someone more luxurious. Poverty with philosophy/culture is guaranteed human.

Jonovonolast Friday at 3:59 PM

Ironic coming from him being a dead beat dad whose son hates him

show 3 replies
macintuxlast Friday at 5:23 PM

Some of my favorite (or at least most durable) memories are from giving hitchhikers rides. I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, and the pandemic really put a damper on that, but I've given ~20 people rides over the years and never regretted it.

Although, you definitely hear some tough stories that way.

I wrote about the ones I can remember here: https://opposite-lock.com/topic/45077/hitchhikers-over-the-y...

show 1 reply
tkfosslast Friday at 10:46 PM

I imagine world like savannas -- don't tease the lions, avoid packs of hyenas and you ll be mostly fine.

nabeardslast Friday at 3:22 PM

100% agreed, it’s been my experience traveling for the past ten years as well.

RickJWagnerlast Friday at 2:08 PM

The most uplifting part of the article. Great to read it.

asacrowflieslast Friday at 8:04 PM

Considering this mans character of child abandonment. I don't think we should take his assessments of moral character seriously.