I read a book years ago (forget the name or the author) about an alien species that came to earth and claimed they were in a war and were looking for the single best specimen from each species (1 per planet).
The one they settled on was a man in a wheelchair. Through technology they fixed all his ills.
They then put him on a ship with all the others and he was immediately attacked. It turned out there was a hierarchy and it had to do with physical violence. They wouldn't let you die and all injuries would be healed so it was safe, if painful, to do.
Throughout the book you learn the aliens that came to earth are very logical, by the book, run the numbers.
So this human realizes this and realizes he wants more control so he starts working his way thorugh the hierarchy. he gets to the 2nd highest rank, but cannot beat the highest rank alien, but he keeps trying ... and trying ... and trying. Finally the highest rank alien asks him why, he explains, the highest rank alien steps to the side and gives him the highest rank.
Later on in the story the aliens fighting the war decided the statistical odds weren't there and they were going to let all the worlds where they had gathered specimens be overrun. The crew on this ship with the humans rejected it, overtook the ship, and went to fight on their own. They did well enough on their own to tip the numbers just enough that the aliens fighting the war chose to re-engage.
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The point here is this. You cannot live life by the numbers, you'll be wrong because it doesn't take into account risk. I know you, and many others, will argue against that, but it's true.
Here's an example: Statistically speaking, you should never cross a busy highway. If your child is on the other side of that highway and in danger, you will 100% do it. Statistics can never take into account the reasons for the risk or the worthiness of the risk.
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The numbers are lying to you. Yes, there's a line at which you'll never be able to do better, but once you're past that line there's a large margin of error. Don't live your life afraid of that margin of error, embrace it.
Sorry, but I don't find a science fiction book to be an inspiring argument.
Find me a below average height person who made it at the NBA or somebody, anybody, with a below average IQ who got a science Nobel prize and you'll have my attention. But if you have to rely on a pure fantasy novel to find a counter-example, it doesn't give me any confidence in your theory.
The one they settled on was a man in a wheelchair. Through technology they fixed all his ills.
They then put him on a ship with all the others and he was immediately attacked. It turned out there was a hierarchy and it had to do with physical violence. They wouldn't let you die and all injuries would be healed so it was safe, if painful, to do.
Throughout the book you learn the aliens that came to earth are very logical, by the book, run the numbers.
So this human realizes this and realizes he wants more control so he starts working his way thorugh the hierarchy. he gets to the 2nd highest rank, but cannot beat the highest rank alien, but he keeps trying ... and trying ... and trying. Finally the highest rank alien asks him why, he explains, the highest rank alien steps to the side and gives him the highest rank.
Later on in the story the aliens fighting the war decided the statistical odds weren't there and they were going to let all the worlds where they had gathered specimens be overrun. The crew on this ship with the humans rejected it, overtook the ship, and went to fight on their own. They did well enough on their own to tip the numbers just enough that the aliens fighting the war chose to re-engage.
----
The point here is this. You cannot live life by the numbers, you'll be wrong because it doesn't take into account risk. I know you, and many others, will argue against that, but it's true.
Here's an example: Statistically speaking, you should never cross a busy highway. If your child is on the other side of that highway and in danger, you will 100% do it. Statistics can never take into account the reasons for the risk or the worthiness of the risk.
----
The numbers are lying to you. Yes, there's a line at which you'll never be able to do better, but once you're past that line there's a large margin of error. Don't live your life afraid of that margin of error, embrace it.