5 ms·

> Sweating to make a big number get a bit bigger isn't good for the soul in the long term. I've been working as a programmer for the last 5-6 years, and I stro

> Sweating to make a big number get a bit bigger isn't good for the soul in the long term. I've been working as a programmer for the last 5-6 years, and I strongly disagree. Pixar, Google and Two Sigma, and many similar companies in these industries, are ultimately absolutely pointless and empty. Entertainment (distraction), ads (mind pollution), and arbitrage (stealing) is essentially what they do. Working for any of them will become mind-numbingly boring and damaging to the soul very soon. There are only two things that keep me motivated; (1) hard problems, and (2) money. (1) are hard to come by, most of my time I spend dealing with stupid problems caused by stupid people. (2) is why I work on pointless problems, the more I earn the sooner I can retire to do something actually useful. Therefore, I think that working for a hedge fund in a money-generating role can do wonders to one's motivation; the better you are, the more you earn. Not many roles, in general and in software development, offer such direct payoff.

rwallace 11y ago
Be that as it may, it's worth noting Google does other things as well. You could always try to get a job there working on self-driving cars (saving lives) or solar energy (saving the world).
- kyrra 11y ago
  There is also Google's charitable arm Google.org[0][1]. [0] https://www.google.org/ https://www.google.org/ [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google.org https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google.org
- jpatokal 11y ago
  Obligatory nit: those are now things that Alphabet does, not Google.
  - CardenB 11y ago
    Google is the brand still. Plus, it's Google[X], which is a subsidiary of alphabet. So nitpick that if you want to nitpick. It still wouldn't be called Alphabet. Also you still apply to Google for the job.
- meatysnapper 11y ago
  And how much money does the non-ads part of Google make?
  - Shebanator 11y ago
    boatloads. smaller boatloads than ads, but still boatloads.
lotsofpulp 11y ago
I would not categorize being able to search for almost any piece of information in the world within a second to be pointless and empty. Nor would I think that for digital maps, real time traffic updates, email with more storage than you know what to do with, smartphones software...etc. The revenue model and the incentives it creates for certain aspects of the above creations is not ideal, I agree, but that's a separate issue than these companies' creations are absolutely pointless. It is a valid reason to not work for them though, as you are just advancing their advertisement driven business.
remyp 11y ago
> arbitrage (stealing) You've never bought something for less than it's worth or sold something for more than it's worth?
- JoeAltmaier 11y ago
  Or, maybe better phrasing, bought low and sold high? Because 'what something is worth' is a dynamic variable affected by time and circumstance. Arbitrage is understanding that variable, nothing more.
Cookingboy 11y ago
Holy crap, what generalization! Do you honestly only see art's place in human society and our history as nothing more than distraction? Do you honestly believe Google only has done mind pollution to the world? Are all financial services nothing but stealing to you. Your above statement only shows one thing: you are either extremely ignorant or you are extremely sanctimonious, probably both. You are fully entitled to your own opinions, but you don't have the right to belittle other people's passion and interest. To be honest what motivates you seems like nothing but vanity to me, good for you I guess, but I'm glad there are lots of people who don't share the same mind set.
acchow 11y ago
>Pixar, Google and Two Sigma, and many similar companies in these industries, are ultimately absolutely pointless and empty. Entertainment (distraction), ads (mind pollution) I'm curious what you consider "worthwhile" endeavors, both personally (personal satisfaction/happiness) and globally (something society should strive for), and how or if they differ.
- programmer_1452 11y ago
  Doctors, farmers, garbage men. Research in energy, health, basic science. Companies like SpaceX and Theranos. Potentially Google's side businesses.
  - qq66 11y ago
    Why does the doctor administer the treatment that keeps their patient alive? For at least one dying ten-year-old girl, the answer was "to see the new Pixar movie." http://www.today.com/id/31448115/ns/today-today_entertainment/t/pixar-fulfills-dying-girls-wish-see/ http://www.today.com/id/31448115/ns/today-today_entertainmen...

rwallace 11y ago

Be that as it may, it's worth noting Google does other things as well. You could always try to get a job there working on self-driving cars (saving lives) or solar energy (saving the world).

kyrra 11y ago
There is also Google's charitable arm Google.org[0][1]. [0] https://www.google.org/ https://www.google.org/ [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google.org https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google.org
jpatokal 11y ago
Obligatory nit: those are now things that Alphabet does, not Google.
- CardenB 11y ago
  Google is the brand still. Plus, it's Google[X], which is a subsidiary of alphabet. So nitpick that if you want to nitpick. It still wouldn't be called Alphabet. Also you still apply to Google for the job.
meatysnapper 11y ago
And how much money does the non-ads part of Google make?
- Shebanator 11y ago
  boatloads. smaller boatloads than ads, but still boatloads.

lotsofpulp 11y ago

I would not categorize being able to search for almost any piece of information in the world within a second to be pointless and empty. Nor would I think that for digital maps, real time traffic updates, email with more storage than you know what to do with, smartphones software...etc. The revenue model and the incentives it creates for certain aspects of the above creations is not ideal, I agree, but that's a separate issue than these companies' creations are absolutely pointless. It is a valid reason to not work for them though, as you are just advancing their advertisement driven business.

remyp 11y ago

> arbitrage (stealing) You've never bought something for less than it's worth or sold something for more than it's worth?

JoeAltmaier 11y ago
Or, maybe better phrasing, bought low and sold high? Because 'what something is worth' is a dynamic variable affected by time and circumstance. Arbitrage is understanding that variable, nothing more.

Cookingboy 11y ago

Holy crap, what generalization! Do you honestly only see art's place in human society and our history as nothing more than distraction? Do you honestly believe Google only has done mind pollution to the world? Are all financial services nothing but stealing to you. Your above statement only shows one thing: you are either extremely ignorant or you are extremely sanctimonious, probably both. You are fully entitled to your own opinions, but you don't have the right to belittle other people's passion and interest. To be honest what motivates you seems like nothing but vanity to me, good for you I guess, but I'm glad there are lots of people who don't share the same mind set.

acchow 11y ago

>Pixar, Google and Two Sigma, and many similar companies in these industries, are ultimately absolutely pointless and empty. Entertainment (distraction), ads (mind pollution) I'm curious what you consider "worthwhile" endeavors, both personally (personal satisfaction/happiness) and globally (something society should strive for), and how or if they differ.

programmer_1452 11y ago
Doctors, farmers, garbage men. Research in energy, health, basic science. Companies like SpaceX and Theranos. Potentially Google's side businesses.
- qq66 11y ago
  Why does the doctor administer the treatment that keeps their patient alive? For at least one dying ten-year-old girl, the answer was "to see the new Pixar movie." http://www.today.com/id/31448115/ns/today-today_entertainment/t/pixar-fulfills-dying-girls-wish-see/ http://www.today.com/id/31448115/ns/today-today_entertainmen...