Coast to Coast (and back?) with an Italian Supermodel

[65bmwr50]

Originally Posted by AntiHero

Wealth begets wealth...

The Dr. J lesson: let fear be the deciding factor in deliberation and you’ll end up living in inescapable conditions. But pursue your appetites, follow your dreams, work hard and confront both real and imagined adversity and you’ll live a life you wouldn’t trade anything for.

Great post, and what I believe of America. Glad to know that someone else shares my thoughts on the matter.

Keep of the great work. Enjoying the pictures and stories.

[AntiHero]

Originally Posted by BenZvan

If you get wealthy through working hard, working smart, and being educated, then good on you, but if you get wealthy because you're lucky, ruthless, and mean, then we've got a problem.

P.S. Great report with great insights. I've been following since you came through Minneapolis.

Hey Ben--I knew I'd seen that name before! ;)

I think the big issue is that very few would see a guy in a (insert supercar here) and think, yeah, that guy worked hard for it, fuck yeah, kudos to him. The default is always to think that he/she was born into it or fucked people over to get it. In psychology it's called the fundamental attribution error--the tendency to devalue the success of others through environmental-based explanations while over-emphasizing one's own effort that is/was/would be required to achieve the same level of performance or success.

The typical conclusion to seeing a hot girl with an old, fat, bald dude in a Lambo would be that 'she's only into him because he has money'. However--if that old fat dude was us, we'd say "she's attracted to my intellect and passion for success." Either could be true. Either could be self-deception. Truth can only be found by validating what we think and/or testing what we think experimentally (it's why morality ALWAYS requires action).

But most people lack the desire to transcend their own beliefs, god forbid try and test the holiness of them. Such a state prohibits progress. We do not err because truth is difficult to see. It is visible at a glance. We err because this is more comfortable. - Solzhenitsyn

[Stixx]

I'm not much for philosophying about my fellow man for the simple reason they will inevitably make me wrong but having said that, this is America and what you believe you can do , you really can take a good stab at it if you prepare.

Mark Donahue said, Luck is when preparation meets opportunity and while historically there have been a few cases where opportunity just wasn't there for some, even then someone proved that wrong and did great historical things or made great head roads into what some deem as success.

What pisses me off is when politicians make statements and decide policy that pits any percentage up against the other thereby giving the downtrodden an excuse for failure and perpetuates the myth that if you have achieved great wealth or fame it was all on the back of the little man. It just ain't so and the fact that a country boy from appalachia achieved the supercar status with barely a high school education , four years of military , a GI bill education and one hell of a lot of sweat equity is proof enough to me that anyone can do whatever that will themselves to do .

Keep up the good pictures and to someone else' point , what WAS up with the GT3 picture. LOL

[AntiHero]

Sweat Equity. Exactly, exactly, exactly.

GT3 experience has to begin with an ADV salute. There were a good three or so years of me reading all the ride reports I could on this site....to finally be a part of it all wouldn't have been possible without the "fuck it, I'm riding off into the sunrise" (on a KLR, KTM, 50cc scooter, BMW Battlebot) motherfuckers who did it before. Here's to all of you bastards:

[AntiHero]

As if the 1098R experience wasn't enough, the GT3 RS experience followed:



No question about it--no motor sounds better than a GT3 with a SharkWerks exhaust bolted to it. Fucking phenomenal.

Dr. J giving his ADV salute:



Sex:



More sex:

[AntiHero]

I won't go into too many details, but safe to say that two hooligans, a screaming-pumpkin GT3 RS and some really brilliant, empty patches of interstate around lunch time on a clear, 70 degree day = memories that will last a lifetime.

And oh yes, I spent half that time behind the wheel grinning more than I ever would in an actual picture. :)

[prooney377]

All the recent philosophical musings have basically opened my eyes to the fact that if you want something bad enough the only thing stopping you going there or doing that is you. ALWAYS wanted to do North to South America top to bottom. 2 years from now I'll be 40 and thats my target for saving the money to realise the dream.

Cheers for the posts and pictures and also for the replies a lot of people are putting on. Very interesting, thought provoking stuff, and amazing photos too.

[Lurky-Loo]

Originally Posted by AntiHero

In psychology it's called the fundamental attribution error--the tendency to devalue the success of others through environmental-based explanations while over-emphasizing one's own effort that is/was/would be required to achieve the same level of performance or success.

There's also a less technical term, called "assuming".

99% v. 1% isn't a question of envy for who has the best toys, it's something as simple as a CEO paying a lower rate than his secretary, or something more important, like a system that's rigged to reward financiers when they succeed and give them government-funded bailouts when they fail.

Given that you equated NPR with Fox News earlier (like equating a rolling stop to doing 100mph in a residential zone), I'd suggest either paying more attention to politics, or avoiding it altogether.

[Tepi]

Sweet ride Antihero. So far, this has been one of _the best_ ride reports.

[infresig]

Originally Posted by AntiHero

I won't go into too many details, but safe to say that two hooligans, a screaming-pumpkin GT3 RS and some really brilliant, empty patches of interstate around lunch time on a clear, 70 degree day = memories that will last a lifetime.

And oh yes, I spent half that time behind the wheel grinning more than I ever would in an actual picture. :)

Is that Jones Beach? Some very long straightaways there . . .

[It'sNotTheBike]

Originally Posted by Lurky-Loo

There's also a less technical term, called "assuming".

Indeed.

One of the first signs that someone is attempting to bs is when they start using
tricky jargon instead of words anyone can understand. This is a trick used by
lawyers, doctors, and other people who want to perpetuate the illusion that they
are special and possess knowledge the rest of us do not have. Ironically, a person
who is truly superior in knowledge and intellect will have the ability to explain
things without using words which are unfamiliar to the vast majority of people.

One has only to examine the lectures of Richard Feynman to understand that
this is not only possible, but that it also shows a true command of a subject. Feynman
was the real deal, a genuine genius, and he could explain the most complex
theories so nearly anyone could understand what he was talking about.

Originally Posted by Lurky-Loo

99% v. 1% isn't a question of envy for who has the best toys, it's something as simple as a CEO paying a lower rate than his secretary, or something more important, like a system that's rigged to reward financiers when they succeed and give them government-funded bailouts when they fail.

The above is spot on. The system is rigged by those who have money and
power, to benefit those who have the money and power. This is nothing new,
it has been going on since the days of serfs, lords, vassals, etc.

It's amusing that Dr. J made it through medical school and pulls down a lot of cash,
but it is a mistake to assume that everyone is capable of doing what he did and that
all that stands in their way is whether they are willing to work hard. Med school
requires a certain amount of intelligence that not all people have. Also, some folks are better ( or worse )
at memorization, and that ability can make or break you in med school ( ask anyone who has actually done it ).

The truth is that not all men are created equal, and some have abilities which are superior
and others have abilities which are inferior. The idea that everyone can make
it "if they just work hard enough" is not supported by reality. Not everyone
can succeed on a very high level, no matter how hard they try. If you doubt this,
ask a person who has tried out for an orchestra and not been given a position
despite the fact that they have practiced every day for their entire lives. Some
people are just better at some things than other people are. It is down to hard
work + native intelligence + innate ability, and all three of those things are instrumental
in the work of high achievers.

And some people's brains work better
and differently. If you don't think this is true, consider this : Richard
Feynman saw different terms in an equation in different colors when he looked at
a blackboard, despite the fact that the equations were written in one single color of
chalk. Do you think his brain was the same as everyone else's ? Or maybe he saw
things this way because he had worked harder ? Sorry, that is not the explanation.
Richard Feynman was a superior human. And it is quite likely that Dr. J is also a superior human,
who was born into unfortunate circumstances but who used hard work and the intelligence which
was a result of his genetic background to achieve great things. His hard work is admirable but is
far from the only reason for his success, and it is misleading to claim that hard work alone
was the reason that Dr. J succeeded. Sure, this flies in the face of a lot of stuff we are taught
in primary school in the US, but then a lot of what is taught in primary school is false. It's up to all of
us to discover the truth for ourselves as we proceed through life, and the most important tool in our mental toolbox
is the ability to think critically, which if used correctly means that you test things for yourself rather than
believing them without question. In this case, critical thinking made it possible to question the notion that
"anyone can achieve anything if he or she works hard enough", which is a false claim.



.

[AntiHero]

It'sNotTheBike translates to: It's not the bike, it's the rider. But that last post seems to suggest that it's all about the bike.

"Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours"

If anyone felt defensive or argumentative about my last major post, the chance that you're a victim of your own excuses is almost certain. Success doesn't only come to those who have superior genetics and achievements don't just come to those who had a perfect upbringing in an ideal environment. Overcoming adversity, gents....that's what life is all about.

[Sgt93]

Originally Posted by AntiHero

Hey Ben--I knew I'd seen that name before! ;)

And from Twitter as well per our PM's. Ben is how I found out about you and your journey :) -Steve

[prince_ruben]

OK. It's officially screw you after the GT3 pics. See you, and damn I'm jealous (but I'm doing something about it). I dare you to step in San Diego. Bah humbug!

[prince_ruben]

Originally Posted by It'sNotTheBike

Indeed.

One of the first signs that someone is attempting to bs is when they start using
tricky jargon instead of words anyone can understand. This is a trick used by
lawyers, doctors, and other people who want to perpetuate the illusion that they
are special and possess knowledge the rest of us do not have. Ironically, a person
who is truly superior in knowledge and intellect will have the ability to explain
things without using words which are unfamiliar to the vast majority of people.

One has only to examine the lectures of Richard Feynman to understand that
this is not only possible, but that it also shows a true command of a subject. Feynman
was the real deal, a genuine genius, and he could explain the most complex
theories so nearly anyone could understand what he was talking about.




The above is spot on. The system is rigged by those who have money and
power, to benefit those who have the money and power. This is nothing new,
it has been going on since the days of serfs, lords, vassals, etc.

It's amusing that Dr. J made it through medical school and pulls down a lot of cash,
but it is a mistake to assume that everyone is capable of doing what he did and that
all that stands in their way is whether they are willing to work hard. Med school
requires a certain amount of intelligence that not all people have. Also, some folks are better ( or worse )
at memorization, and that ability can make or break you in med school ( ask anyone who has actually done it ).

The truth is that not all men are created equal, and some have abilities which are superior
and others have abilities which are inferior. The idea that everyone can make
it "if they just work hard enough" is not supported by reality. Not everyone
can succeed on a very high level, no matter how hard they try. If you doubt this,
ask a person who has tried out for an orchestra and not been given a position
despite the fact that they have practiced every day for their entire lives. Some
people are just better at some things than other people are. It is down to hard
work + native intelligence + innate ability, and all three of those things are instrumental
in the work of high achievers.

And some people's brains work better
and differently. If you don't think this is true, consider this : Richard
Feynman saw different terms in an equation in different colors when he looked at
a blackboard, despite the fact that the equations were written in one single color of
chalk. Do you think his brain was the same as everyone else's ? Or maybe he saw
things this way because he had worked harder ? Sorry, that is not the explanation.
Richard Feynman was a superior human. And it is quite likely that Dr. J is also a superior human,
who was born into unfortunate circumstances but who used hard work and the intelligence which
was a result of his genetic background to achieve great things. His hard work is admirable but is
far from the only reason for his success, and it is misleading to claim that hard work alone
was the reason that Dr. J succeeded. Sure, this flies in the face of a lot of stuff we are taught
in primary school in the US, but then a lot of what is taught in primary school is false. It's up to all of
us to discover the truth for ourselves as we proceed through life, and the most important tool in our mental toolbox
is the ability to think critically, which if used correctly means that you test things for yourself rather than
believing them without question. In this case, critical thinking made it possible to question the notion that
"anyone can achieve anything if he or she works hard enough", which is a false claim.



.

Be careful if this gets out.