5 ms·

> salaried workers need a cost of living adjustment at the very least Software engineers are some of the most priviledged workers in the west when it comes to

> salaried workers need a cost of living adjustment at the very least Software engineers are some of the most priviledged workers in the west when it comes to compensation and perks. We need to stop talking about them like they are road construction workers here on HN. it is really out of touch

dv_dt 3y ago
Let’s say all workers should get a cost of living adjustment…
makeitdouble 3y ago
Does it help road construction workers if we accept lower conditions ? It's not a zero sum game, and I totally side with other professions to fight for decent working compensations.
- ChrisHyung 3y ago
  Doesn't it actually help with inflationary spending? The Fed making a play at depressing wages and increasing unemployment is what's keeping inflation in check. God knows the rich won't ever pay their fair share.
  - lynx23 3y ago
    Fairness is an illusion in thsi universe, as is God.
  - makeitdouble 3y ago
    That reminds me of this hilarious interview of a British economist: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65308769 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65308769 > Somehow in the UK, someone needs to accept that they're worse off and stop trying to maintain their real spending power [...] You're both totally right that giving people enough money to live might increase the inflation. But that's not an option people are (rightly so) going to be happy with. "Just be miserable" is not a plan.
    - musha68k 3y ago
      Inflation seems to mainly be driven by corporate profits (>50%) in the first place: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35795299 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35795299 The current situation is completely absurd. In addition there also is no skin in the game here, over-hiring or other blunders on core leadership competencies don't matter at all as long as "shareholder value" isn't negatively affected in the short term.
    - ChrisHyung 3y ago
      I'm not for crushing the American people to curb inflation either, but that's the play J Pow is making. From an economics perspective, it does help the construction worker if higher wage earners spend less money. I've been one of the people hurt most by this, and I'm not happy about it either. Software Developers doing mental gymnastics to align themselves with the investor elite instead of their fellow working class Americans is some shit.
sublinear 3y ago
Maybe it's different in other places, but have you seen the paychecks of some construction workers? Sure they are working in potentially hazardous conditions, but the pay can be about the same for similarly tenured workers. It's important to remember that if you're working for a living, you're still working class.
- heywhatupboys 3y ago
  > It's important to remember that if you're working for a living, you're still working class. absolutely not. "the social group consisting primarily of people who are employed in unskilled or semi-skilled manual or industrial work." ""Working class" is a socioeconomic term used to describe persons in a social class marked by jobs that provide low pay, require limited skill, " comparing software engineers with factory workers, etc. is incredibly out of touch. Most SE's wouldn't survive a week in hard labor work.
  - sublinear 3y ago
    > Most SE's wouldn't survive a week in hard labor work. Respectfully, speak for yourself. This isn't as rare, or as difficult imo, as you think it is. I'm speaking from a lot of disadvantage. It is what it is. > require limited skill Isn't this site usually full of people whining about smooth talkers with no skill? I know I've whined a lot about that. Also is what it is. The world is only unforgiving to those with narrow perspectives. Generally, what you do for a living isn't as significant as what you learn and do with the experience gained. It's your choice to commit to what you do, or you can keep growing. Up to you.
    - heywhatupboys 3y ago
      So, we agree now that software engineers are not working-class people by any common or accepted terminology?
      - sublinear 3y ago
        I still strongly reject your definition of "working class". It's not the common definition by many miles amongst many significant crowds.
imperfect_light 3y ago
This is like the old "athletes are too greedy!" as if the alternative is the team owners (well known for being non-greedy?) should keep that money instead.
vineyardmike 3y ago
There's more to Microsoft than software engineers, even if there probably aren't many road construction workers. Most working-class people should get their COL adjustment. It should be easily taken from excess profits from raising prices.
- heywhatupboys 3y ago
  Software engineers aren't working-class
  - vineyardmike 3y ago
    Do they work for a salary?

dv_dt 3y ago

Let’s say all workers should get a cost of living adjustment…

makeitdouble 3y ago

Does it help road construction workers if we accept lower conditions ? It's not a zero sum game, and I totally side with other professions to fight for decent working compensations.

ChrisHyung 3y ago
Doesn't it actually help with inflationary spending? The Fed making a play at depressing wages and increasing unemployment is what's keeping inflation in check. God knows the rich won't ever pay their fair share.
- lynx23 3y ago
  Fairness is an illusion in thsi universe, as is God.
- makeitdouble 3y ago
  That reminds me of this hilarious interview of a British economist: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65308769 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65308769 > Somehow in the UK, someone needs to accept that they're worse off and stop trying to maintain their real spending power [...] You're both totally right that giving people enough money to live might increase the inflation. But that's not an option people are (rightly so) going to be happy with. "Just be miserable" is not a plan.
  - musha68k 3y ago
    Inflation seems to mainly be driven by corporate profits (>50%) in the first place: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35795299 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35795299 The current situation is completely absurd. In addition there also is no skin in the game here, over-hiring or other blunders on core leadership competencies don't matter at all as long as "shareholder value" isn't negatively affected in the short term.
  - ChrisHyung 3y ago
    I'm not for crushing the American people to curb inflation either, but that's the play J Pow is making. From an economics perspective, it does help the construction worker if higher wage earners spend less money. I've been one of the people hurt most by this, and I'm not happy about it either. Software Developers doing mental gymnastics to align themselves with the investor elite instead of their fellow working class Americans is some shit.

sublinear 3y ago

Maybe it's different in other places, but have you seen the paychecks of some construction workers? Sure they are working in potentially hazardous conditions, but the pay can be about the same for similarly tenured workers. It's important to remember that if you're working for a living, you're still working class.

heywhatupboys 3y ago
> It's important to remember that if you're working for a living, you're still working class. absolutely not. "the social group consisting primarily of people who are employed in unskilled or semi-skilled manual or industrial work." ""Working class" is a socioeconomic term used to describe persons in a social class marked by jobs that provide low pay, require limited skill, " comparing software engineers with factory workers, etc. is incredibly out of touch. Most SE's wouldn't survive a week in hard labor work.
- sublinear 3y ago
  > Most SE's wouldn't survive a week in hard labor work. Respectfully, speak for yourself. This isn't as rare, or as difficult imo, as you think it is. I'm speaking from a lot of disadvantage. It is what it is. > require limited skill Isn't this site usually full of people whining about smooth talkers with no skill? I know I've whined a lot about that. Also is what it is. The world is only unforgiving to those with narrow perspectives. Generally, what you do for a living isn't as significant as what you learn and do with the experience gained. It's your choice to commit to what you do, or you can keep growing. Up to you.
  - heywhatupboys 3y ago
    So, we agree now that software engineers are not working-class people by any common or accepted terminology?
    - sublinear 3y ago
      I still strongly reject your definition of "working class". It's not the common definition by many miles amongst many significant crowds.

imperfect_light 3y ago

This is like the old "athletes are too greedy!" as if the alternative is the team owners (well known for being non-greedy?) should keep that money instead.

vineyardmike 3y ago

There's more to Microsoft than software engineers, even if there probably aren't many road construction workers. Most working-class people should get their COL adjustment. It should be easily taken from excess profits from raising prices.

heywhatupboys 3y ago
Software engineers aren't working-class
- vineyardmike 3y ago
  Do they work for a salary?