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He moved to Silicon Valley, where he lasted three months each at two different jobs. In a way, he felt tricked. When he was growing up in Albuquerque, everyone
by aswanson 10y ago
He moved to Silicon Valley, where he lasted three months each at two different jobs. In a way, he felt tricked. When he was growing up in Albuquerque, everyone told him that if he wanted a lucrative and satisfying career, all he had to do was get a technical degree. “Guidance counselors just pound it into us: science, college, science,” he says. But he had a technical degree and could barely afford his rent. His next-door neighbor worked as an auto mechanic, and not only did he make more money than Judge, but he kept flexible hours and seemed to be substantially happier.
- doc_gunthrop 10y agoMakes one wonder if his next door neighbor was the inspiration for the character Lawrence in Office Space.
- nefitty 10y agoThat would make sense. Lawrence was a construction worker. Peter was shown at the end of the film blissfully working in his hard hat alongside Lawrence, "This ain't so bad huh? Makin' bucks. Gettin' exercise. Workin outside..."
- bbhart 10y agoFrom the article: "He would serve as inspiration for Lawrence, the construction-worker neighbor in “Office Space”"
- doc_gunthrop 10y agoThat's what I get for reading the comments before the article. Lawrence was a great character, and his reaction to the hypothetical about being asked about "having the case of the Mondays"[0] is classic. 0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4B0pLDqYqI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4B0pLDqYqI
- throwaway91111 10y agoIronically I feel like I'm cheating my company by taking in six figures while just coding.... and even then, nothing that matters. And i haven't the degree. He was lied to. What matters are skills. Schools barely teach them anymore.
- srtjstjsj 10y agoThat's the mythology Judge tells. In reality he worked in tech for less than a year, and quit because he wanted to be an artist. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Judge#Early_life_and_education https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Judge#Early_life_and_educ...