2 ms·

I went through exactly the same thing. I love the coding aspect. I love using my brain, solving problems, working with intelligent people. I can't handle sitti

by grecy 7y ago

I went through exactly the same thing. I love the coding aspect. I love using my brain, solving problems, working with intelligent people. I can't handle sitting inside for 50 hours a week, and I can't handle business politics and nonsense. So I quit my Software Engineering job and took 2 years to drive from Alaska to Argentina, having the time of my life. [1] Then I worked for a bit again to save money, and quit again and just got back from 3 years driving all the way around Africa. [2] I've decided I want to be a travel writer and photographer, because it makes me happy. I have way less money, but I'm happier than I've ever been. I have written a couple of books about my adventures, and I write for a slew of magazines now too. Do what makes you happy. [1] The Road Chose Me Volume 1 - https://amzn.to/2wkxceX https://amzn.to/2wkxceX [2] 999 Days Around Africa - https://amzn.to/2H93IUH https://amzn.to/2H93IUH

turk73 7y ago
That's great, but I have two kids and I don't get how people just up and leave their job to do things that earn little to no money? Thanks for keeping the dream alive, but for the most part I just don't know what else to do to make money. In 2017 I tried to 'retire' from SW Dev and basically what I found out is that pretty much all the other jobs I qualify for are $15/hr nothing burger bs that don't pay the bills. Without going back to school and spending a fortune on retraining, there's no way out of this shit for me. I'd be willing to re-train for something else, but I'm 46, I already have an MS and a PhD, and even with re-training I'd be in some $25/hr job doing workaday crap in a worse field with less vacation and worse benefits. Same shit, different day, so I guess I'll stay a little longer and suck up the horrible people and horrible politics. My kids aren't going to be developers, no fucking way. I can fully understand why seemingly rational, successful people go nuts, pop off, and end up hurting innocent people. Not that I would do that, mind you, but I certainly do understand why. This country just drives people insane.
wolfgke 7y ago
> I love the coding aspect. I love using my brain, solving problems, working with intelligent people. I can't handle sitting inside for 50 hours a week, and I can't handle business politics and nonsense. A wild consideration: Doesn't the fact that many companies "select" for people who love solving hard problems (e.g. by using brainteaser coding problems in the hiring process) cause this problem? This way, the company hires people who prefer a very different kind of work than what they have to do in their job. A further thought: How could a hiring process look like that selects for the kind of work that one actually has to do?
- Aeolun 7y ago
  > A further thought: How could a hiring process look like that selects for the kind of work that one actually has to do? Hire anyone that walks in? Kick them out if they mention anything like passion, only people motivated by money are accepted, but preferably as little as possible.

by grecy 7y ago

turk73 7y ago

That's great, but I have two kids and I don't get how people just up and leave their job to do things that earn little to no money? Thanks for keeping the dream alive, but for the most part I just don't know what else to do to make money. In 2017 I tried to 'retire' from SW Dev and basically what I found out is that pretty much all the other jobs I qualify for are $15/hr nothing burger bs that don't pay the bills. Without going back to school and spending a fortune on retraining, there's no way out of this shit for me. I'd be willing to re-train for something else, but I'm 46, I already have an MS and a PhD, and even with re-training I'd be in some $25/hr job doing workaday crap in a worse field with less vacation and worse benefits. Same shit, different day, so I guess I'll stay a little longer and suck up the horrible people and horrible politics. My kids aren't going to be developers, no fucking way. I can fully understand why seemingly rational, successful people go nuts, pop off, and end up hurting innocent people. Not that I would do that, mind you, but I certainly do understand why. This country just drives people insane.

wolfgke 7y ago

> I love the coding aspect. I love using my brain, solving problems, working with intelligent people. I can't handle sitting inside for 50 hours a week, and I can't handle business politics and nonsense. A wild consideration: Doesn't the fact that many companies "select" for people who love solving hard problems (e.g. by using brainteaser coding problems in the hiring process) cause this problem? This way, the company hires people who prefer a very different kind of work than what they have to do in their job. A further thought: How could a hiring process look like that selects for the kind of work that one actually has to do?

Aeolun 7y ago
> A further thought: How could a hiring process look like that selects for the kind of work that one actually has to do? Hire anyone that walks in? Kick them out if they mention anything like passion, only people motivated by money are accepted, but preferably as little as possible.