Excellent, inspiring, and highly relatable story. I also spent my 20s in university. I chose physics and electrical engineering, with interest in remote sensing, condensed matter, climate, and machine learning. The feeling of being 'chained' to doctoral work can be draining. My personal circumstances (impoverished family, mostly) led me to make safer choices with regard to financial risk. I am now in my 30s and have more or less overcome these circumstances, and will hopefully be engaging in my own adventure soon.
My PhD has opened many doors for personal success, but my original reason for choosing this route is likely relatable to Cao Fengze himself. I wanted to contribute to the development of the world and especially of its poorest people. In America this is actually quite difficult, as there is little genuine support for this sort of thing. Perhaps it is also due to my field of study. There are many talented people all over the world with this drive to build, and America is no exception. Unfortunately, the funding environment and political problems of America guides most of the this talent toward much less socially useful purposes.
This article serves as a good reminder that we must find ways to advocate for our dreams, lest we miss out on the adventures life holds.
And this, to claim the liberty afforded by success, and refuse the straightjacket:
“all my efforts to study well, test well, and to have the “good cards” in my hand is to have more options, rather than to narrow down my choices and only to pick the one “optimal” for my own interest. That kind of life, boring and dull, is like hell to me.”
Excellent, inspiring, and highly relatable story. I also spent my 20s in university. I chose physics and electrical engineering, with interest in remote sensing, condensed matter, climate, and machine learning. The feeling of being 'chained' to doctoral work can be draining. My personal circumstances (impoverished family, mostly) led me to make safer choices with regard to financial risk. I am now in my 30s and have more or less overcome these circumstances, and will hopefully be engaging in my own adventure soon.
My PhD has opened many doors for personal success, but my original reason for choosing this route is likely relatable to Cao Fengze himself. I wanted to contribute to the development of the world and especially of its poorest people. In America this is actually quite difficult, as there is little genuine support for this sort of thing. Perhaps it is also due to my field of study. There are many talented people all over the world with this drive to build, and America is no exception. Unfortunately, the funding environment and political problems of America guides most of the this talent toward much less socially useful purposes.
This article serves as a good reminder that we must find ways to advocate for our dreams, lest we miss out on the adventures life holds.
Many thanks for such a lengthy, personal, and thoughtful comment, Robert.
Incredible! Thank you for this translation.
“Industrialization is a process of absurdity. To alter this absurd process requires people with iron willpower.
I hope I am one of them.”
As everyone who has ever labored against the absurdity of the world, to bring a new thing into creation, we are all comrades.
And this, to claim the liberty afforded by success, and refuse the straightjacket:
“all my efforts to study well, test well, and to have the “good cards” in my hand is to have more options, rather than to narrow down my choices and only to pick the one “optimal” for my own interest. That kind of life, boring and dull, is like hell to me.”
Beautiful essay and wonderful translation!