6 ms·
At Microsoft, we called a lot of these people in Group B, "volunteers". They were with the company through the glory years and had great wealth. They just wante
by scurvy 9y ago
At Microsoft, we called a lot of these people in Group B, "volunteers". They were with the company through the glory years and had great wealth. They just wanted to come to work every day because they liked saying that they worked at MS. The best response given when I asked one why they still worked, "Why would I spend time at home? Have you met my wife and kids?"
- yulaow 9y agoWell that's a profoundly sad and depressing answer, hoping to never end with that kind of thoughts
- dsacco 9y agoIt's a lighthearted joke.
- scurvy 9y agoIndeed, he said it jokingly.
- pdimitar 9y agoI ain't buying it. I don't know the concrete person, that's a fact. I spent my younger years in much more social jobs compared to programming in cubicles (thank the gods I work remotely for 5+ years now) and out of probably 200+ men I've heard joking about horrible wife and kids, I can assure you no more than 5 were really joking. And I don't mean offhand conversations -- I am talking about people who I've chatted with between midnight and 4 AM. (It was a job with wildly varying schedules) "Joke" in the marital context usually means "I am too scared to confront my wife so I'll pretend I am light-hearted and make-believe I am just joining the popular marital jokes club -- while secretly I am hating every second of my home life". Sorry for cynicism. It's what I found during my whole life. Anecdotal evidence for sure but, my $0.02.
- duncan_bayne 9y agoMy experience - also anecdotal - supports this. Only a small minority of people who 'joke' about their home life are actually joking. See also: http://catb.org/jargon/html/H/ha-ha-only-serious.html http://catb.org/jargon/html/H/ha-ha-only-serious.html
- pdimitar 9y agoYep. People use the joking form of expression to tell truths they wouldn't dare saying with a straight face while the other side knows they're fully serious. Social stigma and dogma are to blame for this. (Off-topic: one of the reasons that the love between me and my wife hasn't at all eroded -- it even got stronger -- after 3 years and a few months is that we're very honest with each other, even for the unpleasant truths. It's not about blinding your eyes; it's about being real plus being loving.)
- StavrosK 9y agoAlso, it's only been three years. Give it a few decades.
- pdimitar 9y agoI had a failed relationship that lasted 8 years before. But I know what you are talking about. Time can kill love. I do believe we're on the right track however. We are sensitive to the relationship killers and we are actively addressing them. Being inert is not our thing.
- StavrosK 9y agoI think that's the actual reason for doing well, ie addressing problems. (Lack of) honesty is just one of those.
- coldtea 9y ago>after 3 years and a few months That's not long at all.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- cpeterso 9y agoWhen I worked at Microsoft, people joking called the Red West campus "Red Vest" because it was home to fun projects (like internet and Xbox) that attracted people who had vested enough MSFT options that they didn't need to work.
- robertcorey 9y agothat's really sad. it's like they've been domesticated.
- watwut 9y ago> The best response given when I asked one why they still worked, "Why would I spend time at home? Have you met my wife and kids?" I am not sure whether I should fear sorry for the kids or for the father. Having father that jokes about not liking you must sux.
- Kluny 9y agoI dunno, you could take it lightheartedly. It's good for a relationship for the partners to have their own interests and have some time apart.
- kobeya 9y agoI've been in that position, and yes you are spot on.
- ltaaug8 9y agoI once interviewed with a team leader and two of his engineers. When I asked "What qualities characterize a valuable member of your team?", one of the engineers described how hard they work: they work so hard that the team leader cancelled dinner with his wife on their 10th anniversary so he could work late that night. The team leader was beaming with pride. I felt sorry for all of them and especially for that guy's family.
- imesh 9y agoUnless his kids are more like him than you and can take a bit of joking.