"I’m 28, I just quit my tech job, and I never want another job again"

[ksen]

Kind of related article:

Which Countries Work Hardest? You Might (Not) Be Surprised

 

[ZiprHead]

It sounds great at first but my understanding is that if you stop going to work they usually stop paying you.

Spoil sport...

 

[Loren Pechtel]

That's the author's main point I believe: spending your the majority of your life working for someone that doesn't actually value you as a person is not some noble calling.

Yeah, it's the reality we have to deal with but that shouldn't be the case in a nearly post scarcity world.

How does he go from "this job/company sucks" to all tech jobs suck?

Go try a smaller, lower pay non start-up company that has trouble attracting that kind of talent where his expertise will be highly valued.

Programmers have a 1.3% unemployment rate, there are tons of options out there.

If you're young. Older programmers have a far worse unemployment rate.

 

[nightwyrm]

The title is sensational and a bit misleading....It's a guy who found his old job no longer enjoyable because of the change in the culture as the company became bigger, and then decided to pursue something else he enjoys as a freelancer/self-employed. For anyone else, it would be called a career shift. He mentions getting paid for that article and doing other work so it's not like he doesn't have a job. He just doesn't have a boss.

 

[Jayjay]

The rest of us will have to choose a compromise between our dreams and security or comfort or in some cases plain survival.

That's the author's main point I believe: spending your the majority of your life working for someone that doesn't actually value you as a person is not some noble calling.

I don't think that was the main point. Why give up on all jobs, if he was just pissed off at his previous employer not valuing him as a person? If that was the case, he could just find a better employer.

The offhand comment about expectation of everyone having a 9-5 job seemed more of a footnote to me, and the main takeaway I got from the article was the positive one about pursuing one's dreams.

 

[KeepTalking]

That's the author's main point I believe: spending your the majority of your life working for someone that doesn't actually value you as a person is not some noble calling.

Yeah, it's the reality we have to deal with but that shouldn't be the case in a nearly post scarcity world.

How does he go from "this job/company sucks" to all tech jobs suck?

Go try a smaller, lower pay non start-up company that has trouble attracting that kind of talent where his expertise will be highly valued.

Programmers have a 1.3% unemployment rate, there are tons of options out there.

I was thinking much the same thing as I was reading the article, "Go get a job at another startup, you dipshit!" It's not like we programmers are tied to any company these days. There is a ton of demand for skilled programmers, you might take a bit of a pay cut by going to a startup, but you will be valued for your expertise, and compensated once the startup starts to take off. If the company gets too big and the job starts feeling like a grind again, lather, rinse, repeat. If you are wise with your money (which, I tend not to be, so I tend to stick with more established companies that pay more), the high times can even out the lows.

 

[KeepTalking]

How does he go from "this job/company sucks" to all tech jobs suck?

Go try a smaller, lower pay non start-up company that has trouble attracting that kind of talent where his expertise will be highly valued.

Programmers have a 1.3% unemployment rate, there are tons of options out there.

If you're young. Older programmers have a far worse unemployment rate.

That's bullshit, Loren. I am an older programmer, and am constantly bombarded with job offers. I don't even live in a highly competitive market for programmers. The only older programmers that have problems finding new employment are those who refuse to update their skills. If you are a COBOL programmer, and can't be arsed to learn learn Java (like a couple of programmers I know), you deserve to languish in the unemployment line. Even those few COBOL programmers I know who have that mindset are still employed, they just make half of what I make, and have been working the same job for 20 years.

 

[prideandfall]

jesus, that article should be called First World White People Problems: How I Learned to Embrace my WAAAAHHHH.

So his position is wrong because other people have it worse, despite the fact that his position was in no way contingent on having suffered worse than others?

no, his position is wrong is because almost all of us have to have a job, that's just how reality on this planet works - sure it sucks, and it's not fair, but neither is hair loss or excessive weight gain.
his position is wrong because having a decent paying job in a field you enjoy and then having a snit over the fact that you don't like it enough is the epitome of a belligerently spoiled decadent cultural perspective that is predicated on the notion that the world somehow owes you.

i work in IT, and i've had good jobs and bad jobs, and when i had bad jobs i stuck with them as long as i could and then i left them and found different jobs - and i recognize how incredibly fortunate i am to have a skill in a career where i can easily get away with that, both in terms of job availability and in being able to afford it.
the idea of failing to have any recognition for how well off that situation is and then going past that into crying like a little bitch about it for an entire op-ed piece is just pathetic.

 

[dismal]

So his position is wrong because other people have it worse, despite the fact that his position was in no way contingent on having suffered worse than others?

no, his position is wrong is because almost all of us have to have a job, that's just how reality on this planet works - sure it sucks, and it's not fair, but neither is hair loss or excessive weight gain.
his position is wrong because having a decent paying job in a field you enjoy and then having a snit over the fact that you don't like it enough is the epitome of a belligerently spoiled decadent cultural perspective that is predicated on the notion that the world somehow owes you.

i work in IT, and i've had good jobs and bad jobs, and when i had bad jobs i stuck with them as long as i could and then i left them and found different jobs - and i recognize how incredibly fortunate i am to have a skill in a career where i can easily get away with that, both in terms of job availability and in being able to afford it.
the idea of failing to have any recognition for how well off that situation is and then going past that into crying like a little bitch about it for an entire op-ed piece is just pathetic.

I think his position is fine as long as he is happy living in a van down by the river or can find someone else to voluntarily pay for his lifestyle.

What would be wrong is if he expects to live off the taxes paid by those of us who do go to work and suffer the deeds of our evil greedy mean and evil employers.

 

[TV and credit cards]

I think the article is about valuing your time. People do not value their time. It is the most precious commodity you have, is it not? I think many are lost with regards to what makes them happy. They get caught up in maintaining their lifestyle or grasping for the next rung on the ladder. Sure we all have to make money to survive but how much money do you need to be happy? When is enough enough? When are you going to start doing what you want to do?
I was lucky enough to retire from the navy in August of '08 and the economy went to hell shortly thereafter. I lived off of 2k a month for four years. Couldn't afford to do shit but it was the happiest time of my life. What a lesson!
I was making four times that, living in San Diego, miserable in mediocre overpriced housing, wishing I could move from old Scripps Ranch to new Scripps Ranch. The people were prettier there. I could have if I wanted to, and been in debt up to my eyeballs just like them. Fuck that.

You have to be willing to take a chance. If you can do what you want and know your not going to starve in the process, go for it.

 

[krypton iodine sulfur]

So his position is wrong because other people have it worse, despite the fact that his position was in no way contingent on having suffered worse than others?

no, his position is wrong is because almost all of us have to have a job, that's just how reality on this planet works - sure it sucks, and it's not fair, but neither is hair loss or excessive weight gain.
his position is wrong because having a decent paying job in a field you enjoy and then having a snit over the fact that you don't like it enough is the epitome of a belligerently spoiled decadent cultural perspective that is predicated on the notion that the world somehow owes you.

He explained his financial situation and does not seem to be complaining about it, so ultimately he's looking after his own affairs for the time being. Along with his partner, he had a position which afforded him the ability to quit and pursue other avenues and he did, providing for us the reasons for doing so.

the idea of failing to have any recognition for how well off that situation is and then going past that into crying like a little bitch about it for an entire op-ed piece is just pathetic.

That's not really what the article did though.

 

[Perspicuo]

Fuck that, I'm going to lunch.

I want to quit working to start a band! That would be rad!

It's "rad" precisely because near anyone does that. And so for a reason. A sad, sad reason. It's best to either start your own business (which, alas, will have employees of its own) or get a job doing what you love at good pay and other features of a good deal.

Until the homicidal robots from Volkswagen come, of course.

 

[arkirk]

I want to quit working to start a band! That would be rad!

It's "rad" precisely because near anyone does that. And so for a reason. A sad, sad reason. It's best to either start your own business (which, alas, will have employees of its own) or get a job doing what you love at good pay and other features of a good deal.

Until the homicidal robots from Volkswagen come, of course.

An odd thing about those Volkswagen robots....they have a low crime rate, live long, and prosper...till they are obsolete and then...poof! Their fate is just the same as ours. The character in the link in the OP seems to think he deserves special consideration.....maybe he does...maybe not. What seems to be lacking in our lives is true human contact. We're all going to die. What really counts is what life is like between now and then. Robots simply make poor company.

 

[fromderinside]

no, his position is wrong is because almost all of us have to have a job, that's just how reality on this planet works - sure it sucks, and it's not fair, but neither is hair loss or excessive weight gain.
his position is wrong because having a decent paying job in a field you enjoy and then having a snit over the fact that you don't like it enough is the epitome of a belligerently spoiled decadent cultural perspective that is predicated on the notion that the world somehow owes you.

i work in IT, and i've had good jobs and bad jobs, and when i had bad jobs i stuck with them as long as i could and then i left them and found different jobs - and i recognize how incredibly fortunate i am to have a skill in a career where i can easily get away with that, both in terms of job availability and in being able to afford it.
the idea of failing to have any recognition for how well off that situation is and then going past that into crying like a little bitch about it for an entire op-ed piece is just pathetic.

I think his position is fine as long as he is happy living in a van down by the river or can find someone else to voluntarily pay for his lifestyle.

What would be wrong is if he expects to live off the taxes paid by those of us who do go to work and suffer the deeds of our evil greedy mean and evil employers.

So your position on taxes changes is some in the group choose to exercise their freedom? Why? You think you're better because you 'work for the man'?