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I love this response so much because it encapsulates a SO style response of "why are you soon X, you should do Y instead". The person asked about how to escape

I love this response so much because it encapsulates a SO style response of "why are you soon X, you should do Y instead". The person asked about how to escape from a job he perceived as meaningless and safe, not a job everyone perceived as meaningless and safe.

coldtea 8y ago
Well, many times those SO style responses are fine. "Guys, how much gasoline should I pour to put out a fire?" "Why are you pouring gasoline on the fire? Use a fire extinguisher or water if it's not an electrical fire!"
genezeta 8y ago
To be fair, the only description was "your safe meaningless 9-5 job". There was no explanation at all whether this was a personal feeling and the person's particular circumstance, or a more generic association of any generic 9-5 job with the qualities of meaninglessness and safety. In fact, the wording and explanation seems to lean towards the generic association of 9-5 <-> safe and meaningless. more than the person's personal experience. I mean, it's not like nobody in HN ever romanticized creating startups and pursuing dreams over "meaningless 9-5 jobs", right?
thecatspaw 8y ago
But you DO escape a meaningless job by giving it more meaning
- AnimalMuppet 8y ago
  It might be better to stop looking for meaning in your job. I don't think real meaning is there. This does not mean that you shouldn't look for a better job, or one that has more meaning (for you). But ultimately, you need more meaning in your life than a job can provide. If you try to make your job provide meaning, it probably won't provide enough, no matter how good of a job it is. And though a job may not provide real meaning, it can still be really meaningless. If it's just make-work, if it's just bureaucracy, if it's just pointless, then by all means, look for something better. Full meaning for your life isn't found in a job, but a meaningless job is soul-crushing.

coldtea 8y ago

Well, many times those SO style responses are fine. "Guys, how much gasoline should I pour to put out a fire?" "Why are you pouring gasoline on the fire? Use a fire extinguisher or water if it's not an electrical fire!"

genezeta 8y ago

To be fair, the only description was "your safe meaningless 9-5 job". There was no explanation at all whether this was a personal feeling and the person's particular circumstance, or a more generic association of any generic 9-5 job with the qualities of meaninglessness and safety. In fact, the wording and explanation seems to lean towards the generic association of 9-5 <-> safe and meaningless. more than the person's personal experience. I mean, it's not like nobody in HN ever romanticized creating startups and pursuing dreams over "meaningless 9-5 jobs", right?

thecatspaw 8y ago

But you DO escape a meaningless job by giving it more meaning

AnimalMuppet 8y ago
It might be better to stop looking for meaning in your job. I don't think real meaning is there. This does not mean that you shouldn't look for a better job, or one that has more meaning (for you). But ultimately, you need more meaning in your life than a job can provide. If you try to make your job provide meaning, it probably won't provide enough, no matter how good of a job it is. And though a job may not provide real meaning, it can still be really meaningless. If it's just make-work, if it's just bureaucracy, if it's just pointless, then by all means, look for something better. Full meaning for your life isn't found in a job, but a meaningless job is soul-crushing.