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Your bank account says “find a better job”. In today’s job market there’s really no excuse for anyone who can understand at least half the news posted on this s

by 0xbear 9y ago

Your bank account says “find a better job”. In today’s job market there’s really no excuse for anyone who can understand at least half the news posted on this site to make less than six figures.

acchow 9y ago
You're getting downvoted to hell. I think you should flip the tone: Everyone in this booming economy should either go around interviewing and getting job offers until they are satisfied or start their own business. There's not much sense in complaining about your situation if you've done neither of those.
SapphireSun 9y ago
What about all the people that have no interest or ability to code? What happens when everyone does code? Wages collapse.
- Consultant32452 9y ago
  The idea that you should have an interest in what you do for money is a new one and I think fairly unhealthy. It's part of the reason why we have so many young people with degrees in underwater basketweaving who can't find work in their majors. We're in the midst of an insane sociological revolution regarding "ability." 100 years ago it didn't matter if you had a 140 IQ because you were just out plowing the field the same as your neighbor. For the first time in the history of mankind general cognitive ability is the biggest factor in your ability to acquire resources. Unfortunately that's largely biological in nature. You can reduce IQ pretty easily with poor nutrition, abuse, etc. But it's really hard to raise IQ meaningfully. Life is already difficult for well meaning, hard working people with low cognitive ability, and I think it's only going to get worse. In the meantime, high cognitive ability people will be doing well, whether they're coding or doing other brainy work.
  - yorwba 9y ago
    I think the unhealthy idea is that you should work in a field that you have no interest in, just because it pays more than underwater basketweaving, even if that'd still be enough to make a living and you'd enjoy it much more. After a certain fairly low threshold, having more money doesn't automatically make you more happy (i.e. you're already fed and clothed and have a place to sleep). Once you have crossed that threshold, you'll have to weigh work satisfaction against pay, and it may turn out in favor of the low-paying job you enjoy more.
    - nostrademons 9y ago
      There's a false dichotomy between you and the grandparent post. Most people have multiple fields they could potentially be interested in, with a wide range of incomes. And conversely, there are multiple fields that generate high incomes, with a wide range of appeal to you. In my view, you should take income as a signal, one piece of information. It's the market telling you which fields are valued by others and yet have too few practitioners. It's not the only signal - you should also listen to your feelings about whether you enjoy the work, whether you feel like you're growing, whether you can live in a geographic location you like, whether you can work hours that suit you, whether the results of your work accord with your values, and so on. But you make tradeoffs between these factors: you don't get to have everything. If you decide to follow your passion with a non-lucrative field, that's fine, but realize that the consequence of your decision is that you will make less than someone whose work is valued more highly by the market. And it's up to you to decide whether the things you could buy with that money are worth more than the experience of doing the job.
      - Consultant32452 9y ago
        I think you have a very privileged view of what work is like. Most people will not have a career, they'll have a series of jobs. Most people do not have a broad range of opportunities to choose from which will offer them economic security. Enjoyment of the work is a factor, but it's so far behind economic security that I'm not sure it should be mentioned in conversations with young people when giving them advice about their economic future. Doing so tends to lead to a false equivalence. Economic stability is first and foremost.
HarryHirsch 9y ago
Tell that to the people on the wrong side of 40.
- 0xbear 9y ago
  I’m older than that myself. Doing pretty good.
  - chillwaves 9y ago
    If you are 40 and just getting started, how does that feel? Do you have any capacity for empathy or understanding a life situation that is not your own?
    - 0xbear 9y ago
      No. If you can’t find a job as an engineer in this white hot market, it’s time to think of a career change. That’s the cold, hard truth. Things are crazier than I’ve seen them in 20 years. Empathy does not motivate. Get off your ass and strike this iron while it’s hot.
- empath75 9y ago
  I’m 42 and have recruiters beating down my door.

by 0xbear 9y ago

acchow 9y ago

You're getting downvoted to hell. I think you should flip the tone: Everyone in this booming economy should either go around interviewing and getting job offers until they are satisfied or start their own business. There's not much sense in complaining about your situation if you've done neither of those.

SapphireSun 9y ago

What about all the people that have no interest or ability to code? What happens when everyone does code? Wages collapse.

Consultant32452 9y ago
The idea that you should have an interest in what you do for money is a new one and I think fairly unhealthy. It's part of the reason why we have so many young people with degrees in underwater basketweaving who can't find work in their majors. We're in the midst of an insane sociological revolution regarding "ability." 100 years ago it didn't matter if you had a 140 IQ because you were just out plowing the field the same as your neighbor. For the first time in the history of mankind general cognitive ability is the biggest factor in your ability to acquire resources. Unfortunately that's largely biological in nature. You can reduce IQ pretty easily with poor nutrition, abuse, etc. But it's really hard to raise IQ meaningfully. Life is already difficult for well meaning, hard working people with low cognitive ability, and I think it's only going to get worse. In the meantime, high cognitive ability people will be doing well, whether they're coding or doing other brainy work.
- yorwba 9y ago
  I think the unhealthy idea is that you should work in a field that you have no interest in, just because it pays more than underwater basketweaving, even if that'd still be enough to make a living and you'd enjoy it much more. After a certain fairly low threshold, having more money doesn't automatically make you more happy (i.e. you're already fed and clothed and have a place to sleep). Once you have crossed that threshold, you'll have to weigh work satisfaction against pay, and it may turn out in favor of the low-paying job you enjoy more.
  - nostrademons 9y ago
    There's a false dichotomy between you and the grandparent post. Most people have multiple fields they could potentially be interested in, with a wide range of incomes. And conversely, there are multiple fields that generate high incomes, with a wide range of appeal to you. In my view, you should take income as a signal, one piece of information. It's the market telling you which fields are valued by others and yet have too few practitioners. It's not the only signal - you should also listen to your feelings about whether you enjoy the work, whether you feel like you're growing, whether you can live in a geographic location you like, whether you can work hours that suit you, whether the results of your work accord with your values, and so on. But you make tradeoffs between these factors: you don't get to have everything. If you decide to follow your passion with a non-lucrative field, that's fine, but realize that the consequence of your decision is that you will make less than someone whose work is valued more highly by the market. And it's up to you to decide whether the things you could buy with that money are worth more than the experience of doing the job.
    - Consultant32452 9y ago
      I think you have a very privileged view of what work is like. Most people will not have a career, they'll have a series of jobs. Most people do not have a broad range of opportunities to choose from which will offer them economic security. Enjoyment of the work is a factor, but it's so far behind economic security that I'm not sure it should be mentioned in conversations with young people when giving them advice about their economic future. Doing so tends to lead to a false equivalence. Economic stability is first and foremost.

HarryHirsch 9y ago

Tell that to the people on the wrong side of 40.

0xbear 9y ago
I’m older than that myself. Doing pretty good.
- chillwaves 9y ago
  If you are 40 and just getting started, how does that feel? Do you have any capacity for empathy or understanding a life situation that is not your own?
  - 0xbear 9y ago
    No. If you can’t find a job as an engineer in this white hot market, it’s time to think of a career change. That’s the cold, hard truth. Things are crazier than I’ve seen them in 20 years. Empathy does not motivate. Get off your ass and strike this iron while it’s hot.
empath75 9y ago
I’m 42 and have recruiters beating down my door.