Ask HN: Why do people work at evil megacorps? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Why do people work at evil megacorps?

#11

Post by GianFabien » Mon, Mar 21, 2022, 6:11 AM UTC

ldjkfkdsjnv wrote: post #9

Well its between financial comfort (making 400-500k), and a life of wage slavery. If I make enough, I can retire and do what I want in life. If I dont make enough, I will live the only time I have alive a slave

In most cases, people on high incomes spend far more and save very little. In spite of initial good intentions, they end up not retiring until much later than initially planned. Concurrently they accrue various aliments which further impacts upon their quality of life.

In practice people are slaves to their egos and aspirations. The option to live in a low-cost area, doing lesser paid, but fulfilling work is to many a less appealing choice.

Re: Ask HN: Why do people work at evil megacorps?

#12

Post by GianFabien » Mon, Mar 21, 2022, 6:15 AM UTC

ironmagma wrote: post #10

I honestly believe that parents have somewhat of a duty to work whatever job will provide their children the best outcome in life. I worked at some evil companies (ultimately left, eventually) that paid amazingly, and the workers (parents) who worked their asses off there? Can't blame them one bit.

And in doing so, those parents have normalized the idea of working in an evil company for their children. Isn't that an less than ideal outcome in their lives?

Re: Ask HN: Why do people work at evil megacorps?

#13

Post by ironmagma » Mon, Mar 21, 2022, 12:42 PM UTC

GianFabien wrote: post #12

ironmagma wrote: post #10

I honestly believe that parents have somewhat of a duty to work whatever job will provide their children the best outcome in life. I worked at some evil companies (ultimately left, eventually) that paid amazingly, and the workers (parents) who worked their asses off there? Can't blame them one bit.

And in doing so, those parents have normalized the idea of working in an evil company for their children. Isn't that an less than ideal outcome in their lives?

Is it really the parents who have normalized this, or the investors that supported said business, the CEO for hiring them, the customers for paying them money, the courts for allowing the business to exist, etc.? The parents are simply maximizing a function made available to them. The function is provided by all of society, so we can hardly blame the parents for the whole thing.

Re: Ask HN: Why do people work at evil megacorps?

#14

Post by richliss » Mon, Mar 21, 2022, 1:44 PM UTC

Being unemployed in a large expensive city where you have friends etc. is expensive and depressing.

I once burned through approximately $35K waiting for the right job to come along out of moral conviction during my first experience of tough financial times.

You might think "no problem" but it will massively delay how early you can get a mortgage and significantly reduce your pension pot.

Also you know what? Most people you know who you think would judge you would and most likely will take jobs for morally questionable companies at some point.