3 ms·

I think the biggest secret to success/happiness in today's zeitgeist of anti-work ideology is to do just the opposite – work your ass off to the absolute limit.

I think the biggest secret to success/happiness in today's zeitgeist of anti-work ideology is to do just the opposite – work your ass off to the absolute limit. Your brain isn't as weak as the society tells you. Entire state of life becomes awesome and fulfilling. People reward you, they appreciate you, you help them improve their lives, and there is no better feeling of gratitute than be helped by someone that works hard. Ignore society, especially Hackernews mentality. It's not healthy to read this forum where 99% of the comments are anti-work. In a meta way, HN is a great place for me to find what not to do.

ck425 3y ago
Do you really think "anti-work" is the prevailing ideology in Western society? I'd argue the current popularity of "anti-work" sentiment is a backlash to the dominant "work is everything" ideology we've had the last couple of decades.
- systemvoltage 3y ago
  Today's zeitgeist has taught youngsters to never reach their potential and be perpetually inward looking. The exponential rise of "mental health" industrial complex and "safe spaces" in last 7-10 years is mostly has religious undercurrents and less on anything objective. It makes people misrable and pessimistic. May be the idea is to get them hooked on goverment services? I don't know. I can't steelman it. I don't have any data to prove, but just speaking from the heart and what I see. There is definitely a need to address extreme issues and occurrences, but there is no way to separate wheat from the chaff and the entire movement has taken on weird self-fulfilling ideology. Worker rights movements today feel less like the worker rights movements pre-2010. The absolute pinnacle of this is r/anti-work. And lots of it on HN unfortunately. If you're here looking for optimism, there is none to be found. Cynicism everywhere.
- thebigwinning 3y ago
  Yes. I know very few people who hold "work is everything" or even work more than 40 hours.
_dain_ 3y ago
>It's not healthy to read this forum where 99% of the comments are anti-work. news to me. consider the possibility that people who disagree with you loom larger in your mental landscape than they really are.
sgarland 3y ago
> Your brain isn't as weak as the society tells you. Entire state of life becomes awesome and fulfilling. To a certain point, I find myself agreeing with this more and more. While I still firmly believe that therapy is extremely useful (if nothing else, it's like an impartial 3rd party you can bounce ideas off of), I think that most people saying they didn't have the energy to do $BASIC_TASK_X are choosing to do so, and lying to themselves. I often will not do something because I feel exhausted, but I'm also acutely aware that it is a choice, and I _can_ do it if I must. I did a career shift into tech in my 30s via getting a Master's in SWE while I was working nights on a weird compressed shift (4x12, 3 days off, 3x12, 4 days off). It was extremely difficult and in no way healthy, but I did it because it needed to be done. It paid off; got a job before graduating. Immediate salary boost and enjoyment of work.
- systemvoltage 3y ago
  Congrats!

ck425 3y ago

Do you really think "anti-work" is the prevailing ideology in Western society? I'd argue the current popularity of "anti-work" sentiment is a backlash to the dominant "work is everything" ideology we've had the last couple of decades.

systemvoltage 3y ago
Today's zeitgeist has taught youngsters to never reach their potential and be perpetually inward looking. The exponential rise of "mental health" industrial complex and "safe spaces" in last 7-10 years is mostly has religious undercurrents and less on anything objective. It makes people misrable and pessimistic. May be the idea is to get them hooked on goverment services? I don't know. I can't steelman it. I don't have any data to prove, but just speaking from the heart and what I see. There is definitely a need to address extreme issues and occurrences, but there is no way to separate wheat from the chaff and the entire movement has taken on weird self-fulfilling ideology. Worker rights movements today feel less like the worker rights movements pre-2010. The absolute pinnacle of this is r/anti-work. And lots of it on HN unfortunately. If you're here looking for optimism, there is none to be found. Cynicism everywhere.
thebigwinning 3y ago
Yes. I know very few people who hold "work is everything" or even work more than 40 hours.

_dain_ 3y ago

>It's not healthy to read this forum where 99% of the comments are anti-work. news to me. consider the possibility that people who disagree with you loom larger in your mental landscape than they really are.

sgarland 3y ago

> Your brain isn't as weak as the society tells you. Entire state of life becomes awesome and fulfilling. To a certain point, I find myself agreeing with this more and more. While I still firmly believe that therapy is extremely useful (if nothing else, it's like an impartial 3rd party you can bounce ideas off of), I think that most people saying they didn't have the energy to do $BASIC_TASK_X are choosing to do so, and lying to themselves. I often will not do something because I feel exhausted, but I'm also acutely aware that it is a choice, and I _can_ do it if I must. I did a career shift into tech in my 30s via getting a Master's in SWE while I was working nights on a weird compressed shift (4x12, 3 days off, 3x12, 4 days off). It was extremely difficult and in no way healthy, but I did it because it needed to be done. It paid off; got a job before graduating. Immediate salary boost and enjoyment of work.

systemvoltage 3y ago
Congrats!