4 ms·

That is the saddest self-realization post I have ever read. Boils down to accepting being a tool and proceeds with optimizing ROI on said tool.

Sohcahtoa82 5y ago
A very well-paid tool that can probably retire in a few years and never have to work again.
- Apocryphon 5y ago
  "We're all puppets, lokimedes. I'm just a puppet who can see the strings."
- 65 5y ago
  I feel like I'm the only person left who actually likes working and being productive with other people. I actually like programming and solving problems with other people. There's been a huge shift since COVID to embrace not working hard, but to me life isn't as interesting when you're spending 40 hours a week just kinda wasting your time, trying to get away with putting in the least amount of effort possible. Having a little pride in your work can be very healthy.
  - eniotna 5y ago
    Working with people who care about their craft is definitely much more enjoyable. "What should we work for? Only this: proper understanding; unselfish action; truthful speech. A resolve to accept whatever happens as necessary." — Marcus Aurelius
  - kache_ 5y ago
    what about working hard and also making lots of mon-e
  - Beltalowda 5y ago
    "Retire" doesn't need to mean "sit on your ass all day"; it can also mean "freedom to do whatever work I want, no matter the pay", "start my own business", "take a year off to be a stay-at-home parent", and things like that.
  - jseban 5y ago
    Yes, you like it when you are lucky to end up with people you work well with, but it only lasts until that one guy leaves and that other guy starts. Now you don't like it anymore. Wouldn't it be kind of the same thing but just more flexible, if you could do the same group work programming for open source for example? It would be very similar work but now on your own terms.
  - pjbeam 5y ago
    Work and job are not the same thing.
tomrod 5y ago
Reminds me about the Gervais model.
- drc500free 5y ago
  Reading that series of posts has literally made me more than a $100k. I should probably buy Venkatesh a coffee or something.
  - ianandrich 5y ago
    What posts? Are these them? https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-or-the-office-according-to-the-office/ https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-...
    - drc500free 5y ago
      That's them! Specifically part I (the three layers of hierarchy) and part V (how the top layer manipulates the middle layer, leaving them with all the blame and none of the credit).
  - hhmc 5y ago
    $100K by being a more savvy operator within office politics?
    - drc500free 5y ago
      Yes. Specifically, by understanding that the ladder is a trap and looking for the backdoor.
      - hhmc 5y ago
        What was the backdoor?
    - pjbeam 5y ago
      Low estimate over long enough timeline.
mirceal 5y ago
you are a tool. that's the reality. we all like to believe that we are somehow better than this and that there is meaning in the work we do, but at the end of the day if you were to disappear tomorrow things will go on without you. you might as well optimize for personal gain from being a tool
- asdff 5y ago
  You can also optimize for self care
  - mirceal 5y ago
    i mean yes. but you can also optimize for money AND self care. it can be a multivariable optimization problem.

Sohcahtoa82 5y ago

A very well-paid tool that can probably retire in a few years and never have to work again.

Apocryphon 5y ago
"We're all puppets, lokimedes. I'm just a puppet who can see the strings."
65 5y ago
I feel like I'm the only person left who actually likes working and being productive with other people. I actually like programming and solving problems with other people. There's been a huge shift since COVID to embrace not working hard, but to me life isn't as interesting when you're spending 40 hours a week just kinda wasting your time, trying to get away with putting in the least amount of effort possible. Having a little pride in your work can be very healthy.
- eniotna 5y ago
  Working with people who care about their craft is definitely much more enjoyable. "What should we work for? Only this: proper understanding; unselfish action; truthful speech. A resolve to accept whatever happens as necessary." — Marcus Aurelius
- kache_ 5y ago
  what about working hard and also making lots of mon-e
- Beltalowda 5y ago
  "Retire" doesn't need to mean "sit on your ass all day"; it can also mean "freedom to do whatever work I want, no matter the pay", "start my own business", "take a year off to be a stay-at-home parent", and things like that.
- jseban 5y ago
  Yes, you like it when you are lucky to end up with people you work well with, but it only lasts until that one guy leaves and that other guy starts. Now you don't like it anymore. Wouldn't it be kind of the same thing but just more flexible, if you could do the same group work programming for open source for example? It would be very similar work but now on your own terms.
- pjbeam 5y ago
  Work and job are not the same thing.

tomrod 5y ago

Reminds me about the Gervais model.

drc500free 5y ago
Reading that series of posts has literally made me more than a $100k. I should probably buy Venkatesh a coffee or something.
- ianandrich 5y ago
  What posts? Are these them? https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-or-the-office-according-to-the-office/ https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-...
  - drc500free 5y ago
    That's them! Specifically part I (the three layers of hierarchy) and part V (how the top layer manipulates the middle layer, leaving them with all the blame and none of the credit).
- hhmc 5y ago
  $100K by being a more savvy operator within office politics?
  - drc500free 5y ago
    Yes. Specifically, by understanding that the ladder is a trap and looking for the backdoor.
    - hhmc 5y ago
      What was the backdoor?
  - pjbeam 5y ago
    Low estimate over long enough timeline.

mirceal 5y ago

you are a tool. that's the reality. we all like to believe that we are somehow better than this and that there is meaning in the work we do, but at the end of the day if you were to disappear tomorrow things will go on without you. you might as well optimize for personal gain from being a tool

asdff 5y ago
You can also optimize for self care
- mirceal 5y ago
  i mean yes. but you can also optimize for money AND self care. it can be a multivariable optimization problem.