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"I don't really need to be close to my friends or be in a place that I know but I need ... three 24 inches monitors an external GPU and an ergonomic keyboard."

"I don't really need to be close to my friends or be in a place that I know but I need ... three 24 inches monitors an external GPU and an ergonomic keyboard." Does anyone else have a hard time coming to grips with this prioritization? Even looking at this objectively with something like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, yes we do need friends, though 3 24" monitors don't seem to appear.

epidemian 7y ago
Yes, i found that sentence extremely off-putting. It's surely a personal thing, but i feel being close or far away from my friends and loved ones has a much bigger impact on my happiness than how many monitors or ergonomic devices i use. And happiness, in turn, greatly affects what i do. For example, right now i'm work&traveling, and i've definitely felt loneliness and the distance from my friends, while i couldn't have cared less that i've only been programming with a 14" laptop monitor.
detaro 7y ago
Favorably read, emphasis on "close to". You can have friends you talk to daily and are physically close to rarely. Proximity doesn't matter to everyone.
m463 7y ago
an external monitor (one) and ergonomic keyboard have one benefit. ergonomics. Remember there are no osha-approved laptops. Typing on a shitty keyboard, no wrist rest and holding yourself hunched over is a quick way to musculoskeletal hell.
maximente 7y ago
well, Maslow's hierarchy is a theory, and not without controversy, though i think you're on to something here personally. however, it sounds like they're prioritizing productivity, which may be a proxy for money or success at this point in their lives. i'm not opposed to it. it's also really hard to maintain less deep friendships without presence so if you're moving a lot those are likely to go away. though i do think nomads undervalue roots and community, but i imagine many of them discover that after some time, or are OK with it and keep traveling.
pizza 7y ago
I interpreted it as a joke from somebody who is particularly focused on computers but also has a pretty good sense of humor about it
notatoad 7y ago
I interpreted this as saying he doesn't really have any close friends who are local. That might not apply to you, but it's not really something to criticize the author for.
mc3 7y ago
But then you are saying you don't understand why people do digital nomading. While I am not sure I'd like it, I can see why people are attracted to perpetual travel.
jasonkester 7y ago
I can understand the motivation completely. It's not about wanting to be away from your friends. It's about not wanting to be stuck in your apartment in a city that's rainy and cold for six months straight starting in late October when you're young and unencumbered and you know that there's a sunny tropical paradise just a quick 16 hour flight away. There's lots of other unencumbered young fun people there riding out the winter season, working on their surfing skills while coding from their laptops. Some of them you already know, others you'll meet when you get there, and you'll keep in touch for years (even if you're no longer living near them). It's such a good way to do things that many people have arranged their lives so that they can do it every year (I did it for maybe 15 years before finally buying a couch in a place where there was something to do in the winter). But I might point out to the author that 27 inch monitors cost $129.00 each. Even in Krabi, Thailand. And they make good gifts to the locals when it's time to move on. Sorted.
- cerberusss 7y ago
  > 27 inch monitors cost $129.00 each Heh yes, that's what I thought as well. And what's more, he only needed 24". Let's assume that 129 is the going rate for the author and he wanted 3 monitors to work on. Since he has undoubtedly spent more than three hours building and schlepping around this setup, I don't think it was worth it. But then again, that's probably not what this is about :)
- kayoone 7y ago
  That might work well if you are single and have no obligations in live, all power to you but it's just not an option for many.
Kiro 7y ago
No, I don't need friends.

epidemian 7y ago

Yes, i found that sentence extremely off-putting. It's surely a personal thing, but i feel being close or far away from my friends and loved ones has a much bigger impact on my happiness than how many monitors or ergonomic devices i use. And happiness, in turn, greatly affects what i do. For example, right now i'm work&traveling, and i've definitely felt loneliness and the distance from my friends, while i couldn't have cared less that i've only been programming with a 14" laptop monitor.

detaro 7y ago

Favorably read, emphasis on "close to". You can have friends you talk to daily and are physically close to rarely. Proximity doesn't matter to everyone.

m463 7y ago

an external monitor (one) and ergonomic keyboard have one benefit. ergonomics. Remember there are no osha-approved laptops. Typing on a shitty keyboard, no wrist rest and holding yourself hunched over is a quick way to musculoskeletal hell.

maximente 7y ago

well, Maslow's hierarchy is a theory, and not without controversy, though i think you're on to something here personally. however, it sounds like they're prioritizing productivity, which may be a proxy for money or success at this point in their lives. i'm not opposed to it. it's also really hard to maintain less deep friendships without presence so if you're moving a lot those are likely to go away. though i do think nomads undervalue roots and community, but i imagine many of them discover that after some time, or are OK with it and keep traveling.

pizza 7y ago

I interpreted it as a joke from somebody who is particularly focused on computers but also has a pretty good sense of humor about it

notatoad 7y ago

I interpreted this as saying he doesn't really have any close friends who are local. That might not apply to you, but it's not really something to criticize the author for.

mc3 7y ago

But then you are saying you don't understand why people do digital nomading. While I am not sure I'd like it, I can see why people are attracted to perpetual travel.

jasonkester 7y ago

I can understand the motivation completely. It's not about wanting to be away from your friends. It's about not wanting to be stuck in your apartment in a city that's rainy and cold for six months straight starting in late October when you're young and unencumbered and you know that there's a sunny tropical paradise just a quick 16 hour flight away. There's lots of other unencumbered young fun people there riding out the winter season, working on their surfing skills while coding from their laptops. Some of them you already know, others you'll meet when you get there, and you'll keep in touch for years (even if you're no longer living near them). It's such a good way to do things that many people have arranged their lives so that they can do it every year (I did it for maybe 15 years before finally buying a couch in a place where there was something to do in the winter). But I might point out to the author that 27 inch monitors cost $129.00 each. Even in Krabi, Thailand. And they make good gifts to the locals when it's time to move on. Sorted.

cerberusss 7y ago
> 27 inch monitors cost $129.00 each Heh yes, that's what I thought as well. And what's more, he only needed 24". Let's assume that 129 is the going rate for the author and he wanted 3 monitors to work on. Since he has undoubtedly spent more than three hours building and schlepping around this setup, I don't think it was worth it. But then again, that's probably not what this is about :)
kayoone 7y ago
That might work well if you are single and have no obligations in live, all power to you but it's just not an option for many.

Kiro 7y ago

No, I don't need friends.