5 ms·

You failed to mention any of the downsides: - competition from non-Union labor - broken body by 50 - fewer jobs than programming (there are multiple times a

You failed to mention any of the downsides: - competition from non-Union labor - broken body by 50 - fewer jobs than programming (there are multiple times as many programming jobs than plumbing, for instance) - working conditions (no office work, expect hot/cold environments potentially far away from family)

nine_zeros 2y ago
> competition from non-Union labor Very little. Because non-union workers join the union as soon as they see the benefits. > broken body by 50 As opposed to broken minds by 50 for toxic corporate jobs. > fewer jobs than programming (there are multiple times as many programming jobs than plumbing, for instance) This is true. But that's because software development is considered one large blob while trades is broken into HVAC, plumbing, electrical etc. > working conditions (no office work, expect hot/cold environments potentially far away from family) And yet, they can pick and choose their work for the most part. No badging in for 5 day RTO BS.
- kortilla 2y ago
  >Very little. Because non-union workers join the union as soon as they see the benefits. This isn't true and sounds like union propaganda. It's very easy to find non-union trade workers in big cities, even very liberal ones that are supportive of unions. >As opposed to broken minds by 50 for toxic corporate jobs. People don't have broken minds from corporate jobs. Physical damage from labor is real and extremely common. Every tradesman 40+ will tell you this. People retiring from corporate jobs do not consistently warn people that your mind will be broken. >And yet, they can pick and choose their work for the most part. No badging in for 5 day RTO BS. Are you joking? RTO isn't a thing because the trades were never allowed to work from home in the first place.
  - neverartful 2y ago
    I worked as a software engineer for 29 years and quit earlier this year. The stress and my blood pressure were significantly affecting my health and quality of life. I had started a part-time handyman business last year and took it full time after quitting my corporate job. My blood pressure and stress level have gone down a lot, but so has my paycheck and my benefits. I'm still glad that I made the switch because my last corporate job was going to kill me for the sake of corporate profits and executive bonuses. I would say that there's good/bad from both sides of the coin. It's a personal choice and not everyone is the same.
    - kortilla 2y ago
      Sounds like you took the handyman job as employtainment. Being a handyman is incredibly stressful if you’re trying to raise a family on that income and are having trouble making ends meet.
    - linotype 2y ago
      Glad you were able to get your BP under control, it’s a silent killer. Any tips?
      - neverartful 2y ago
        In my case, I tracked it regularly and when it was high I would try to go out for a nice walk outside or anything that might be calming. I limited my salt intake. The real solution for me was quitting my job.
  - consteval 2y ago
    > People don't have broken minds from corporate jobs I would just like to say I wholeheartedly disagree. A LOT of the much older people I know are struggling really, really bad. I'm talking conspiracies, abject misery, downright delusion. The trouble with "broken minds" is that you can't see it. If you could, your mind wouldn't be broken!
throw234234234 2y ago
> fewer jobs than programming (there are multiple times as many programming jobs than plumbing, for instance) Every blue collar worker I know would counter that with "AI". i.e, "at least my industry doesn't shoot itself in the foot"
- ThrowawayR2 2y ago
  The miniscule fraction of people in the software industry who are building AI are not the people in the software industry who are at risk of being replaced by AI.
  - throw234234234 2y ago
    Do agree with that, at least in the short term (not the long term). But most industries tend to band together, form unions, associations, licenses, etc that would unify and put the workers in the same boat one way or the other especially blue collar which is what this article is about. The point still stands - other industries are "smarter" and wouldn't do this to themselves and have controls against this sort of thing.
hyperG 2y ago
Anyone working remote is just talking nonsense on this subject. I am related to a journeyman electrician and journeyman welder. They would give it up to work remote in a second.

nine_zeros 2y ago

> competition from non-Union labor Very little. Because non-union workers join the union as soon as they see the benefits. > broken body by 50 As opposed to broken minds by 50 for toxic corporate jobs. > fewer jobs than programming (there are multiple times as many programming jobs than plumbing, for instance) This is true. But that's because software development is considered one large blob while trades is broken into HVAC, plumbing, electrical etc. > working conditions (no office work, expect hot/cold environments potentially far away from family) And yet, they can pick and choose their work for the most part. No badging in for 5 day RTO BS.

kortilla 2y ago
>Very little. Because non-union workers join the union as soon as they see the benefits. This isn't true and sounds like union propaganda. It's very easy to find non-union trade workers in big cities, even very liberal ones that are supportive of unions. >As opposed to broken minds by 50 for toxic corporate jobs. People don't have broken minds from corporate jobs. Physical damage from labor is real and extremely common. Every tradesman 40+ will tell you this. People retiring from corporate jobs do not consistently warn people that your mind will be broken. >And yet, they can pick and choose their work for the most part. No badging in for 5 day RTO BS. Are you joking? RTO isn't a thing because the trades were never allowed to work from home in the first place.
- neverartful 2y ago
  I worked as a software engineer for 29 years and quit earlier this year. The stress and my blood pressure were significantly affecting my health and quality of life. I had started a part-time handyman business last year and took it full time after quitting my corporate job. My blood pressure and stress level have gone down a lot, but so has my paycheck and my benefits. I'm still glad that I made the switch because my last corporate job was going to kill me for the sake of corporate profits and executive bonuses. I would say that there's good/bad from both sides of the coin. It's a personal choice and not everyone is the same.
  - kortilla 2y ago
    Sounds like you took the handyman job as employtainment. Being a handyman is incredibly stressful if you’re trying to raise a family on that income and are having trouble making ends meet.
  - linotype 2y ago
    Glad you were able to get your BP under control, it’s a silent killer. Any tips?
    - neverartful 2y ago
      In my case, I tracked it regularly and when it was high I would try to go out for a nice walk outside or anything that might be calming. I limited my salt intake. The real solution for me was quitting my job.
- consteval 2y ago
  > People don't have broken minds from corporate jobs I would just like to say I wholeheartedly disagree. A LOT of the much older people I know are struggling really, really bad. I'm talking conspiracies, abject misery, downright delusion. The trouble with "broken minds" is that you can't see it. If you could, your mind wouldn't be broken!

throw234234234 2y ago

> fewer jobs than programming (there are multiple times as many programming jobs than plumbing, for instance) Every blue collar worker I know would counter that with "AI". i.e, "at least my industry doesn't shoot itself in the foot"

ThrowawayR2 2y ago
The miniscule fraction of people in the software industry who are building AI are not the people in the software industry who are at risk of being replaced by AI.
- throw234234234 2y ago
  Do agree with that, at least in the short term (not the long term). But most industries tend to band together, form unions, associations, licenses, etc that would unify and put the workers in the same boat one way or the other especially blue collar which is what this article is about. The point still stands - other industries are "smarter" and wouldn't do this to themselves and have controls against this sort of thing.

hyperG 2y ago

Anyone working remote is just talking nonsense on this subject. I am related to a journeyman electrician and journeyman welder. They would give it up to work remote in a second.