A man discovers, to his surprise, that he exists. When the elation of childhood fades, questions follow — who is one, why is one here, how does it work? Many accept a ready-made answer after a brief struggle and go through the motions.
Scott Adams was different. A live player, perpetually curious and intent on probing the simulation he inhabited. From first principles he unraveled, understood, and ultimately shaped his own reality.
He hacked himself with affirmations, influenced others with persuasion, and sampled the world with simultaneous sips. He described people as moist robots, life as two films on one screen, and the world as God’s debris.
He taught the footwear theory of motivation, the Adams Law of slow-moving disasters, the skill stack, systems over goals, and, of course, the Dilbert Principle
In addition to cartooning, philosophizing, and teaching, he displayed
— courage. He spoke honestly as he saw it — about Trump, about his country, and about his time — even when that honesty cost friends, audience, income, and admission to polite society.
His life felt too short; he was both mentor and marvel. Useful and courageous, incompressible and indivisible — one of a kind, generous with drawing, writing, and speaking.
There are many long-lived hells on this earth but no lasting heaven. Each heaven must be created and nurtured ex nihilo, from mind and from mud. He created a small heaven for many, and now moves toward a larger one
A man discovers, to his astonishment, that he no longer exists. He asks why, what it was for, and how the new reality will work. When others arrive there, Scott will be found — ever useful, ready to explain, having figured it all out
A man discovers, to his surprise, that he exists. When the elation of childhood fades, questions follow — who is one, why is one here, how does it work? Many accept a ready-made answer after a brief struggle and go through the motions.
Scott Adams was different. A live player, perpetually curious and intent on probing the simulation he inhabited. From first principles he unraveled, understood, and ultimately shaped his own reality.
He hacked himself with affirmations, influenced others with persuasion, and sampled the world with simultaneous sips. He described people as moist robots, life as two films on one screen, and the world as God’s debris.
He carved a personal mission to
and helped countless people become better writers, public speakers, and persuaders.
He taught the footwear theory of motivation, the Adams Law of slow-moving disasters, the skill stack, systems over goals, and, of course, the Dilbert Principle
In addition to cartooning, philosophizing, and teaching, he displayed
— courage. He spoke honestly as he saw it — about Trump, about his country, and about his time — even when that honesty cost friends, audience, income, and admission to polite society.
That was courage of the kind that breeds unpopularity and is everywhere scarce
In the end, like any hacker of reality, he covered his bases — leaving as a Buddhist, a Christian, and a player in the Simulation
His life felt too short; he was both mentor and marvel. Useful and courageous, incompressible and indivisible — one of a kind, generous with drawing, writing, and speaking.
Unlike the squealing critics of the chattering class, his work will be read for generations
There are many long-lived hells on this earth but no lasting heaven. Each heaven must be created and nurtured ex nihilo, from mind and from mud. He created a small heaven for many, and now moves toward a larger one
A man discovers, to his astonishment, that he no longer exists. He asks why, what it was for, and how the new reality will work. When others arrive there, Scott will be found — ever useful, ready to explain, having figured it all out
Notes: First line paraphrases Schopenhauer. Courage quote via Taleb.