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It's a good question. My home was recently destroyed by fire (not a total loss of dwelling, but 95% of contents due to smoke and water), and I'm quitting tech

It's a good question. My home was recently destroyed by fire (not a total loss of dwelling, but 95% of contents due to smoke and water), and I'm quitting tech to accept being a rancher and body builder. I love tech, but tech doesn't love me. So, #yolo on to the next thing.

avandekleut 2y ago
Good luck! Your username suits you.
- mathgladiator 2y ago
  Thanks. I love math, and I regret not being able to usefully use it more. I don't regret leaving academia, but life is a mystery. The next chapter feels... good and right.
par 2y ago
would love to follow your progress if you're going to be publicly blogging it (would be ironic, i know.) Also, really sorry for your loss. Was it the palisades fire?
- mathgladiator 2y ago
  I thought about doing a youtube channel, honestly. Both as a parody and a progress. It's strange. I will probably get more love for making a video about my future barndo than my tech projects. It was an electrical fire due to a 20 year old wire and an external flood light that has never worked.
Imustaskforhelp 2y ago
Sorry for your loss. But may I ask, about the comment "I love tech, but tech doesn't love me" Where does this really arise from? I have some theories and feel free to tell me which one is the right one:- 1)Does this arise from the fact that tech is excessively used to create AI coder assistants to take the coders out in the first place 2)Does this arise from the fact that you feel as if you are a working machine in a cog, like most of what coders do in tech is unethical or useless in terms of human resourcefulness (asking because I saw one hackernews post about it some day where the guy was a microsoft engineer working on some project that he believed to have no impact other than surveillance) Because these were the two theories as to why you might feel like that way. And I am genuinely interested in what you believe. Curious for your response!
- nashashmi 2y ago
  Creators of tech vs users of tech are very different mindsets. My guess is the creators culture is not something you can just learn and work with. There is an inherent egotistical nature in the creator. And sometimes that is a difficult situation to work with .
- tmpz22 2y ago
  Not OP but the business of western tech places absolute minimum value on individuals and relationship building. It's all short term gain at the expense of all else. I'd expect the average tech employee to live shorter less fulfilled lives despite their wealth. [1]: What makes a good life lessons from the longest study on happiness (Harvard) - https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_the_longest_study_on_happiness?language=en https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good... [2]: The secret to living longer may be your social life - https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_pinker_the_secret_to_living_longer_may_be_your_social_life https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_pinker_the_secret_to_living_...
  - organsnyder 2y ago
    That may be true in many (even most) places, but it's not universal. I've found the most success when I'm able to build relationships, even at large well-known tech companies. That being said, I strongly believe that it's never wise to find fulfillment solely—or even primarily—in vocation. Absolutely try to build a career that is life-giving, but there is so much joy and meaning to be found outside of work. We thrive in community.
    - gorbachev 2y ago
      You may build relationships with people you work closely with. I've certainly done that at multiple workplaces. However, that doesn't mean anything when someone whom you've never even spoken to decides shareholders need 0.5% more profit and you gotta go.
  - vel0city 2y ago
    > the business of western tech places absolute minimum value on individuals and relationship building It's not just the businesses; it's the workers as well. How many comments have you seen here of tech workers making a point that people in the office are not and will never be considered friends, and they're 100% not interested in having any kind of relationship with coworkers?
yesimahuman 2y ago
I sold my startup and got out of tech and I’m much happier. Didn’t fully understand how miserable the whole industry and the long hours sitting at the computer were making me. Good luck with the new life!
- gardenhedge 2y ago
  What was the startup?
  - simantel 2y ago
    It's in their profile.
    - gardenhedge 1y ago
      Oh, cool I've used ionic framework
- selimthegrim 2y ago
  What are you doing now?
  - yesimahuman 2y ago
    Cliché but woodworking and working on my house! Been learning tons of new things that have nothing to do with coding. I’d probably get into rehabbing/flipping houses before I’d ever go back into tech
Workaccount2 2y ago
Just a heads up, this only works well if you have a nice cushion of cash to do it on. Someone with 30% tech ability will easily out-earn someone with 100% ranching ability. And have way more free time. And live way more comfortably. Don't be fooled, the greenest grass is in the tech sector (and finance too).
- jonnybgood 2y ago
  Not everything is about how much money you’ll make.
  - scarface_74 2y ago
    Yes. But we all have an addiction to food and shelter.
    - SirMaster 2y ago
      You don't need much money to have food and shelter...
      - ge96 2y ago
        That homesteader life
      - deleted 2y ago
        [deleted]
    - rurp 2y ago
      Most people obtain those just fine without a tech salary.
    - amanaplanacanal 2y ago
      In the US, only the poorest of the poor don't have shelter, and even they mostly have food.
      - 2y ago
freedomben 2y ago
In 3 to 5 years once AI is doing most of our tech jobs, we may look back on this comment as someone with laser vision
- mathgladiator 2y ago
  Maybe. I was using AI via API, and I was building a tool chain to build a social network with PHP... I realized that I could focus on the product, but then I realized I was solving a problem which is social in nature rather than technical. I am going to get in absolute peak shape, get a few cattle, raise some chickens to produce eggs, and maybe study to become a personal trainer.

avandekleut 2y ago

Good luck! Your username suits you.

mathgladiator 2y ago
Thanks. I love math, and I regret not being able to usefully use it more. I don't regret leaving academia, but life is a mystery. The next chapter feels... good and right.

par 2y ago

would love to follow your progress if you're going to be publicly blogging it (would be ironic, i know.) Also, really sorry for your loss. Was it the palisades fire?

mathgladiator 2y ago
I thought about doing a youtube channel, honestly. Both as a parody and a progress. It's strange. I will probably get more love for making a video about my future barndo than my tech projects. It was an electrical fire due to a 20 year old wire and an external flood light that has never worked.

Imustaskforhelp 2y ago

Sorry for your loss. But may I ask, about the comment "I love tech, but tech doesn't love me" Where does this really arise from? I have some theories and feel free to tell me which one is the right one:- 1)Does this arise from the fact that tech is excessively used to create AI coder assistants to take the coders out in the first place 2)Does this arise from the fact that you feel as if you are a working machine in a cog, like most of what coders do in tech is unethical or useless in terms of human resourcefulness (asking because I saw one hackernews post about it some day where the guy was a microsoft engineer working on some project that he believed to have no impact other than surveillance) Because these were the two theories as to why you might feel like that way. And I am genuinely interested in what you believe. Curious for your response!

nashashmi 2y ago
Creators of tech vs users of tech are very different mindsets. My guess is the creators culture is not something you can just learn and work with. There is an inherent egotistical nature in the creator. And sometimes that is a difficult situation to work with .
tmpz22 2y ago
Not OP but the business of western tech places absolute minimum value on individuals and relationship building. It's all short term gain at the expense of all else. I'd expect the average tech employee to live shorter less fulfilled lives despite their wealth. [1]: What makes a good life lessons from the longest study on happiness (Harvard) - https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_the_longest_study_on_happiness?language=en https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good... [2]: The secret to living longer may be your social life - https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_pinker_the_secret_to_living_longer_may_be_your_social_life https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_pinker_the_secret_to_living_...
- organsnyder 2y ago
  That may be true in many (even most) places, but it's not universal. I've found the most success when I'm able to build relationships, even at large well-known tech companies. That being said, I strongly believe that it's never wise to find fulfillment solely—or even primarily—in vocation. Absolutely try to build a career that is life-giving, but there is so much joy and meaning to be found outside of work. We thrive in community.
  - gorbachev 2y ago
    You may build relationships with people you work closely with. I've certainly done that at multiple workplaces. However, that doesn't mean anything when someone whom you've never even spoken to decides shareholders need 0.5% more profit and you gotta go.
- vel0city 2y ago
  > the business of western tech places absolute minimum value on individuals and relationship building It's not just the businesses; it's the workers as well. How many comments have you seen here of tech workers making a point that people in the office are not and will never be considered friends, and they're 100% not interested in having any kind of relationship with coworkers?

yesimahuman 2y ago

I sold my startup and got out of tech and I’m much happier. Didn’t fully understand how miserable the whole industry and the long hours sitting at the computer were making me. Good luck with the new life!

gardenhedge 2y ago
What was the startup?
- simantel 2y ago
  It's in their profile.
  - gardenhedge 1y ago
    Oh, cool I've used ionic framework
selimthegrim 2y ago
What are you doing now?
- yesimahuman 2y ago
  Cliché but woodworking and working on my house! Been learning tons of new things that have nothing to do with coding. I’d probably get into rehabbing/flipping houses before I’d ever go back into tech

Workaccount2 2y ago

Just a heads up, this only works well if you have a nice cushion of cash to do it on. Someone with 30% tech ability will easily out-earn someone with 100% ranching ability. And have way more free time. And live way more comfortably. Don't be fooled, the greenest grass is in the tech sector (and finance too).

jonnybgood 2y ago
Not everything is about how much money you’ll make.
- scarface_74 2y ago
  Yes. But we all have an addiction to food and shelter.
  - SirMaster 2y ago
    You don't need much money to have food and shelter...
    - ge96 2y ago
      That homesteader life
    - deleted 2y ago
      [deleted]
  - rurp 2y ago
    Most people obtain those just fine without a tech salary.
  - amanaplanacanal 2y ago
    In the US, only the poorest of the poor don't have shelter, and even they mostly have food.
    - 2y ago

freedomben 2y ago

In 3 to 5 years once AI is doing most of our tech jobs, we may look back on this comment as someone with laser vision

mathgladiator 2y ago
Maybe. I was using AI via API, and I was building a tool chain to build a social network with PHP... I realized that I could focus on the product, but then I realized I was solving a problem which is social in nature rather than technical. I am going to get in absolute peak shape, get a few cattle, raise some chickens to produce eggs, and maybe study to become a personal trainer.