*promote

Promoting this video and sending it back into the queue for one more try; last queued Thursday, February 3rd, 2011 8:43am PST - promote requested by radx.

... and a *quality for good measure, now that it has left the queue.

Boosting this quality contribution up in the Hot Listing - declared quality by radx.

I like Stephen Fry, but I'm sorry, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I knew as a kid that I wanted to to be a pilot. It took a while but I eventually managed to go to college, get a degree in aviation and my licenses to fly. My flying career was cut short by a car accident, but those few years were the best times of my life. Now I don't know what I want to do. I live this "dynamic" life that he calls a reward, but I call it a goddamn miserable curse.

I wanted to be a game developer since I was very little. And now I am. The system works!

I don't think he's saying "If you really wanted to be something, achieved it, but then had it taken from you contrary to your wishes, you'll be free and happy".

I think he may be more saying "If you can't define what you want to do or be, you have the freedom to do many different things".

Wow, way to totally miss the point.
>> ^jimnms:

I like Stephen Fry, but I'm sorry, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I knew as a kid that I wanted to to be a pilot. It took a while but I eventually managed to go to college, get a degree in aviation and my licenses to fly. My flying career was cut short by a car accident, but those few years were the best times of my life. Now I don't know what I want to do. I live this "dynamic" life that he calls a reward, but I call it a goddamn miserable curse.

I wanted to be a caveman.

Plenty of cave in Southern Indiana and Kentucky... limestone... I know a guy who knows a guy who could get ya a good deal.>> ^Fusionaut:

I wanted to be a caveman.

...but you ended up a spaceman.

>> ^jimnms:

I like Stephen Fry, but I'm sorry, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I knew as a kid that I wanted to to be a pilot. It took a while but I eventually managed to go to college, get a degree in aviation and my licenses to fly. My flying career was cut short by a car accident, but those few years were the best times of my life. Now I don't know what I want to do. I live this "dynamic" life that he calls a reward, but I call it a goddamn miserable curse.


"if you live what some might call the dynamic life but what I will call the artistic life, if each day you are unsure of who you are and what you know, you will never become anything, and that is your reward."

I think Wilde is talking about the dynamic self discovery and personal growth of a life of artistic pursuits, vs the more structured and predictable development within a more rigid profession. The quote does NOT mention not having passion or not knowing what you want to do.

That's the most painful-looking broken nose I've ever seen.

my parents are the most disappointed.>> ^kymbos:

...but you ended up a spaceman.

I think he also might be playing off the definitions of punishment and reward.

Is the rest of the interview on here somewhere?

>> ^notarobot:

Is the rest of the interview on here somewhere?


I'm in the process of looking for it, will keep you updated

I get the point of having too firm an idea of what you "are", and so blindly pursuing it, to your own doom. You don't need to become what you first dream of becoming, but not moving towards some goal, and just letting the fates decide is the surest path to misery.

So, I think Fry overstates his point. Did he never want to be an actor or a TV host? Does he consider himself nothing today, or does he feel punished?

well.. That actually made me smile, because that is exactly what I am. Everyday I wake up I am something different.

Pfft.. The tide goes in, the tide goes out. That is all you need to know.

He's basically playing with word here so you can agree or disagree with whatever interpretation you prefer. I think his basic premise is that a fortunate man gets to go and do what he's passionate about each day, whether that's the same thing every day or something different. The punishment comes when the things you do become who you are and there's nothing else for you to do even if your passions change. A person without direction is very unlikely to become anything in that sense and that is his reward. A person with more direction in their life runs that risk and that's their punishment.

With apologies to AC: http://videosift.com/video/Stephen-Fry-live-at-the-Sydney-Opera-House-1

>> ^kymbos:

With apologies to AC: http://videosift.com/video/Stephen-Fry-live-at-the-Sydney-Opera-House-1



Aww a dupe, gutted mate. I'll tell notarobot shall I?

Tags for this video have been changed from 'stephen fry, oscar wilde, quote machine, punishment, reward' to 'stephen fry, oscar wilde, quote machine, dynamic life, artistic, punishment, reward' - edited by calvados

This is an outrage!

Artists often try to spice up their existence by coming up with clever quotes. Oh poor mathematicians are forced to do math all day...how horrible. Oh poor geneticists have to map genomes...the travesty in his life! I think it's the man that doesn't chase after what he wants, whatever that may be, that will be punished.

Well, it's only a segment from the whole performance. So it's considered a separate video, no?

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag.(show it anyway)

So fucking awesome. He just empowered about a million professional slackers.

*dupeof=http://videosift.com/video/Stephen-Fry-Live-At-The-Sydney-Opera-House?fromdupe=Stephen-Fry-live-at-the-Sydney-Opera-House-1

Video cannot be declared a dupe of the specified video - ignoring dupeof request by chicchorea.

Color me ultramaroon...good thing too...not a dupe! (skulks away)
>> ^siftbot:

Video cannot be declared a dupe of the specified video - ignoring dupeof request by chicchorea.