[jwitchel]

Robert Sansone, great job!

So many young prospective engineers read HN every day. Let's find comments that are encouraging or thought provoking or point readers in helpful directions Like @londons_explore did.

Bringing the beatdown is bad for everyone. Especially bad for young engineers. This kid is impressive, straight up impressive. Let's encourage him and others like him. HN shouldn't someone's supervillain origin story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqMCYdqaFCQ&t=41s

[mortenjorck]

I think this is the right angle to take.

Unlike a lot of breathless "engineering breakthrough" stories, this piece, as well as young Mr. Sansone himself, readily acknowledge that this is a work in progress and may not pan out. Even if it doesn't, what an incredible achievement for a high-schooler – and just imagine the great contributions to the field this kid is poised to make in the coming decades.

[moffkalast]

> and just imagine the great contributions to the field this kid is poised to make in the coming decades

Well let's curb the expectations for now, it can be quite damaging for a kid be held forever to an potentially unrealistic standard just because they did something great once. I mean sure for the occasional genius it turns out fine because they live up to it, but for the rest it's a self hate and imposter syndrome on steroids.

[Waterluvian]

People are far more likely to become your neighbours or coworkers than they are to replace you. Gotta resist the instinct to be competitive and gatekeep.

This is wonderful work and it makes me feel bubbly about the future of engineering when young adults are _this engaged_.

[throw_m239339]

> Bringing the beatdown is bad for everyone.

It's healthy to question media narrative as the media tend to sensationalize and embellish stories for clicks or views. It's disingenuous to try to make people feel guilty about it arguing if we question that story that child will turn bad or something, in an post-truth era. Nobody is attacking that kid, just how the media cover these stories with a template.

[bryanlarsen]

I don't think this is totally on the media. The story is sufficiently weasel worded -- the motor "could" "pave the way". Anybody with any experience reads "could" as "probably not" and "pave the way" as "a tiny little step in a long process".

Most 6 year olds have figured out that "maybe" means "probably not". Many adults have forgotten that lesson.

[jwitchel]

Fair enough, but context matters and there are two that matter here: (1) The subject was the tech and the engineer not biased media narratives, and (2) HN is a forum that so many people look up to. So if you want to context switch to a discussion about the media (a worthy subject BTW) post a new thread; let's not do it on a thread that is spotlighting interesting tech from a promising engineer.

[tiahura]

Being a curmudgeon isn't a virtue.

[cheschire]

Will the kid understand that's everyone's intent, I wonder?

[justsocrateasin]

I had a hunch this would link me to The Incredibles. Great reference and I totally agree with the sentiment.