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Most people spend a little bit more than half of their time working, and the rest of their time aggressively not working. For most people, the distinction betwe

Most people spend a little bit more than half of their time working, and the rest of their time aggressively not working. For most people, the distinction between public and private self is the most important one in their lives.

AndrewKemendo 9y ago
That's probably true. My question is, does making that distinction benefit or damage information about networks/markets?
- mnemonicsloth 9y ago
  Helpful or harmful, it doesn't matter. People will go on making the distinction for as long as work is, well, work: something you don't want to do but do anyway because you have to. For as long as people have jobs they don't like doing, they'll try to put those jobs out of their minds, and they will, as you point out, be more able to ignore the moral consequences of their work-life actions.
  - circlefavshape 9y ago
    It matters on the individual level. No doubt you are correct, but in my experience being your authentic self while at work, rather than pretending to be professional/passionate/whatever, is much better for one's mental health
stcredzero 9y ago
For most people, the distinction between public and private self is the most important one in their lives. Marx and Engels would have called this, "alienation." I think that they are onto something in this dimension of their critique. Isn't a part of the startup ethos a rebellion against this?
- mnemonicsloth 9y ago
  My understanding is that with a startup you eliminate the distinction by spending 100% of your time in work mode.
  - stcredzero 9y ago
    My understanding is that with a startup you eliminate the distinction by spending 100% of your time in work mode. My understanding is that with a startup you eliminate the distinction between work-mode and personal-fulfillment mode, thus making yourself 100% productive/engaged and 0% alienated.
    - hnuser1234 9y ago
      You say that like it's a good thing. Having work take over your life is pretty definitively worse than being able to have some private time.

AndrewKemendo 9y ago

That's probably true. My question is, does making that distinction benefit or damage information about networks/markets?

mnemonicsloth 9y ago
Helpful or harmful, it doesn't matter. People will go on making the distinction for as long as work is, well, work: something you don't want to do but do anyway because you have to. For as long as people have jobs they don't like doing, they'll try to put those jobs out of their minds, and they will, as you point out, be more able to ignore the moral consequences of their work-life actions.
- circlefavshape 9y ago
  It matters on the individual level. No doubt you are correct, but in my experience being your authentic self while at work, rather than pretending to be professional/passionate/whatever, is much better for one's mental health

stcredzero 9y ago

For most people, the distinction between public and private self is the most important one in their lives. Marx and Engels would have called this, "alienation." I think that they are onto something in this dimension of their critique. Isn't a part of the startup ethos a rebellion against this?

mnemonicsloth 9y ago
My understanding is that with a startup you eliminate the distinction by spending 100% of your time in work mode.
- stcredzero 9y ago
  My understanding is that with a startup you eliminate the distinction by spending 100% of your time in work mode. My understanding is that with a startup you eliminate the distinction between work-mode and personal-fulfillment mode, thus making yourself 100% productive/engaged and 0% alienated.
  - hnuser1234 9y ago
    You say that like it's a good thing. Having work take over your life is pretty definitively worse than being able to have some private time.