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> At least you are being honest you know nothing to the issue, as most engineers at Amazon. It is, indeed, a common fallacy that technologists think that every

by _msw_ 6y ago

> At least you are being honest you know nothing to the issue, as most engineers at Amazon. It is, indeed, a common fallacy that technologists think that everything can be solved with a technical solution. The challenges here are much more systemic. From my privileged position I cannot truly understand all of the challenges faced by people who work warehouse jobs. Just doing their job for a few days in an education program is not a true simulation of their existence. You have to listen, and be emphatic, and try your best to help. And recognize when you're not going to engineer a solution to all of the problems of the world. For me, personally, it weighs on me.

jerome-jh 6y ago
Maybe I was more aggressive than I intended. I too, would want to do more on a number of issues.
- _msw_ 6y ago
  Way back in 2015 there was an article in the New York Times [1][2] that included a quote from a former long time employee, "Amazon is where overachievers go to feel bad about themselves." While I personally didn't see many of the things covered in that piece, this part of the article resonated with me. We do bold things, tackle really hard challenges, and also have intrinsic aspects of the business that involve managing risk of human life. As engineers I think we have a professional responsibility to be robust in how we solve problems, and also how we build safe systems. It is a huge responsibility, and one that I, and the people around me, take EXTREMELY seriously. From an outcomes perspective, is is healthy to never be satisfied with how well we are doing (and we, generally, aren't). From a mental health perspective, we also have a responsibility to be mindful of those impacts for those who build the systems, and those who run these businesses. [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/technology/inside-amazon-wrestling-big-ideas-in-a-bruising-workplace.html https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/technology/inside-amazon-... [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10065243 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10065243

by _msw_ 6y ago

jerome-jh 6y ago

Maybe I was more aggressive than I intended. I too, would want to do more on a number of issues.

_msw_ 6y ago
Way back in 2015 there was an article in the New York Times [1][2] that included a quote from a former long time employee, "Amazon is where overachievers go to feel bad about themselves." While I personally didn't see many of the things covered in that piece, this part of the article resonated with me. We do bold things, tackle really hard challenges, and also have intrinsic aspects of the business that involve managing risk of human life. As engineers I think we have a professional responsibility to be robust in how we solve problems, and also how we build safe systems. It is a huge responsibility, and one that I, and the people around me, take EXTREMELY seriously. From an outcomes perspective, is is healthy to never be satisfied with how well we are doing (and we, generally, aren't). From a mental health perspective, we also have a responsibility to be mindful of those impacts for those who build the systems, and those who run these businesses. [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/technology/inside-amazon-wrestling-big-ideas-in-a-bruising-workplace.html https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/technology/inside-amazon-... [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10065243 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10065243