6 ms·

If you're doing it for the money, you're doing it wrong.

android521 10y ago
I am sick of this sort of privileged comments. You probably have never been poor in your life (not US poor but india poor). It is nothing wrong to be financially motivated. It is software development. Why do you inherently assume that a 300k+ job is more soul-sucking than a 100k job? Lastly, most things most people do, they do it for the money. For some, it may not be 1 priority but it definitely should be among the top priorities.
- Lordarminius 10y ago
  I upvote you because I too dont get why people take the view that money is not important. I go to work for the money; not because I like hanging out with a bunch of random people for 9+ hours a day.
- akandiah 10y ago
  I have been poor (I'm also a migrant) but I'm not greedy like the op and yourself.
jasonkester 10y ago
Similarly, if you're not negotiating the best possible rate for every gig you take, you're doing it wrong. It's entirely possible to do something you love for a fun team with good technology and a product that genuinely benefits the world as a whole, while earning a better than market rate salary. Try not to mistake looking out for your own interests with disregarding everything apart from money. They're orthogonal.
csallen 10y ago
Not a fan of this mindset. If good people convince themselves that money isn't important, then !good people will end up with all of it.
bbcbasic 10y ago
There is done truth in that but the whole "doing it wrong" cliche which is overly opinionated and arrogant sounding just made me have to downvote that comment.
- akandiah 10y ago
  Maybe it's a simple way of saying that the OP is not looking at it the right way? Sheesh! If you're just motivated by money, you're not going to go anywhere in this industry. I've met consultants who increase their fees overnight in the industry and piss of their existing customers. You don't win business by putting your finances first!
homoSapiens 10y ago
would you work for Google without being paid?
- akandiah 10y ago
  That's not the point of the OP's question. It just stinks of plain greed. Typical banker attitude from a lot of people here.
  - Lordarminius 10y ago
    > It just stinks of plain greed. After considerable reflection and a decade in the marketplace, I have come to the conclusion that there are two kinds of people - those who appreciate the value of money and those who do not- and it cuts across cultures. The former are most times sheep (sometimes not) and employers are grateful for their existence. These are the people only too happy to do valuable work for a company whose goal is profit in return for a pat on the shoulder and maybe, if they are lucky, a gold watch after 25 years. Is this attitude derived from an indoctrination process or is it innate? I do not pretend to know the answer. What I do know is that in a capitalist system- which the whole world practically is- employers depend on a significant population of the workforce to act with timidity. Many businesses are built and fortunes are made on this assumption: that the help will be paid less than he is worth and he can be counted on to not complain. Capitalists will ruthlessly cull the herd to maintain the s.q. It is not out of place to ask for more money if your skills are up to par and the company can afford it. Money buys comforts, it soothes the pains and sacrifices one makes to attain present position. Enough money permits me to endow chair at a university or build a school/clinic in rural Africa or Asia. I may decide to contribute the excess to my preferred charity that provides open heart surgery treatments to newborn with congenital heart defects. It opens up the option for me to run for elective office and effect change where better men can only complain. Most importantly it reflects my contribution to the system and serves to tally the score. OP's desire, for money and the desire of others - is not greed. Its a personal choice. It is pragmatism but as I said before not everyone sees it the same way.
    - homoSapiens 10y ago

I am sick of this sort of privileged comments. You probably have never been poor in your life (not US poor but india poor). It is nothing wrong to be financially motivated. It is software development. Why do you inherently assume that a 300k+ job is more soul-sucking than a 100k job? Lastly, most things most people do, they do it for the money. For some, it may not be 1 priority but it definitely should be among the top priorities.

Lordarminius 10y ago
I upvote you because I too dont get why people take the view that money is not important. I go to work for the money; not because I like hanging out with a bunch of random people for 9+ hours a day.
akandiah 10y ago
I have been poor (I'm also a migrant) but I'm not greedy like the op and yourself.

jasonkester 10y ago

Similarly, if you're not negotiating the best possible rate for every gig you take, you're doing it wrong. It's entirely possible to do something you love for a fun team with good technology and a product that genuinely benefits the world as a whole, while earning a better than market rate salary. Try not to mistake looking out for your own interests with disregarding everything apart from money. They're orthogonal.

csallen 10y ago

Not a fan of this mindset. If good people convince themselves that money isn't important, then !good people will end up with all of it.

bbcbasic 10y ago

There is done truth in that but the whole "doing it wrong" cliche which is overly opinionated and arrogant sounding just made me have to downvote that comment.

akandiah 10y ago
Maybe it's a simple way of saying that the OP is not looking at it the right way? Sheesh! If you're just motivated by money, you're not going to go anywhere in this industry. I've met consultants who increase their fees overnight in the industry and piss of their existing customers. You don't win business by putting your finances first!

homoSapiens 10y ago

would you work for Google without being paid?

akandiah 10y ago
That's not the point of the OP's question. It just stinks of plain greed. Typical banker attitude from a lot of people here.
- Lordarminius 10y ago
  > It just stinks of plain greed. After considerable reflection and a decade in the marketplace, I have come to the conclusion that there are two kinds of people - those who appreciate the value of money and those who do not- and it cuts across cultures. The former are most times sheep (sometimes not) and employers are grateful for their existence. These are the people only too happy to do valuable work for a company whose goal is profit in return for a pat on the shoulder and maybe, if they are lucky, a gold watch after 25 years. Is this attitude derived from an indoctrination process or is it innate? I do not pretend to know the answer. What I do know is that in a capitalist system- which the whole world practically is- employers depend on a significant population of the workforce to act with timidity. Many businesses are built and fortunes are made on this assumption: that the help will be paid less than he is worth and he can be counted on to not complain. Capitalists will ruthlessly cull the herd to maintain the s.q. It is not out of place to ask for more money if your skills are up to par and the company can afford it. Money buys comforts, it soothes the pains and sacrifices one makes to attain present position. Enough money permits me to endow chair at a university or build a school/clinic in rural Africa or Asia. I may decide to contribute the excess to my preferred charity that provides open heart surgery treatments to newborn with congenital heart defects. It opens up the option for me to run for elective office and effect change where better men can only complain. Most importantly it reflects my contribution to the system and serves to tally the score. OP's desire, for money and the desire of others - is not greed. Its a personal choice. It is pragmatism but as I said before not everyone sees it the same way.
  - homoSapiens 10y ago