Food for thought

[umang]

From Paul Graham's essay on the YCombinator's Summer Founders' Program found here: http://paulgraham.com/sfp.html

"I think the problem here is much the same as with the apparent laziness of people this age. They seem lazy because the work they're given is pointless, and they act irresponsible because they're not given any power. Some of them,

Comments

[asinghania]

mentorship: I dont know what that word really means? Seriously I am yet to understand what a mentor-mentee relation is supposed to be. Does it mean something similar to the guru-shishya relation? But then again I guess not since that involves too much obedience and deference. Or is the answer, A mentor is like a zen master who can only ask you to ponder on the sound of a clap with one hand and never actually show it to you.
If somebody could give me concrete examples of what mentorship involves i might believe in that word.

[umang]

Neither, I would say.
The Guru-Shishya, over time, has started reeking of knowledge being transformed into words and chanted over and over again until one can say it almost as well as the Guru. The Zen Master has flaws of being all-knowing and very wise and there is a lot of responsibility thrust into this relationship.
I would look regard a mentor as an advisor, sometimes a guide, and oft a sounding board. It is the part of the mentee to absorb what he needs from the mentor. Trust, however, is of essence here.
But then again, this is only my perspective of mentorship. I'm sure it is more subjective than to fit into a few lines.