>People who work 8 hours a day, mostly for a paycheck, how do you cope without wanting to off yourself?
Knowing that work is just the means to fund my life, rather than being my life.
Ask HN: Is it just me or do 99% of SWE jobs offers seem completely pointless?
21–30 of 214 posts
Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or do 99% of SWE jobs offers seem completely pointless?
#22Yes, it is you (and few others). What you are experiencing is best described as depression. Been in a similar situation as you once. Of course the most important step is acknowledging that you need help otherwise that feeling will persist. Sometimes the source of the depression has not so much to do with your work life but has deeper roots.
I wouldn't be so quick to call it depression. This person is seeing a truth about the state of affairs in the corporate world and hasn't yet figured out how to integrate that truth and become functional in our broken system.
Depression often is the seeing things as they are and being unable to accept the ugliness and imperfection of our reality. Same with cynicism.
Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or do 99% of SWE jobs offers seem completely pointless?
#23Yes, it is you (and few others). What you are experiencing is best described as depression. Been in a similar situation as you once. Of course the most important step is acknowledging that you need help otherwise that feeling will persist. Sometimes the source of the depression has not so much to do with your work life but has deeper roots.
I wouldn't be so quick to call it depression. This person is seeing a truth about the state of affairs in the corporate world and hasn't yet figured out how to integrate that truth and become functional in our broken system.
Well both can be true. https://www.vice.com/en/article/8x9j3k/depressed-people-see-...
Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or do 99% of SWE jobs offers seem completely pointless?
#24Yes, it is you (and few others). What you are experiencing is best described as depression. Been in a similar situation as you once. Of course the most important step is acknowledging that you need help otherwise that feeling will persist. Sometimes the source of the depression has not so much to do with your work life but has deeper roots.
For example one of those deeper roots might be that most prestigious well-compensated jobs actually don't have value to anyone except the owners of capital who will become richer from the work we do!
Seriously I had more positive impact on more people's lives as a poverty wages barista than I do as a six figures software dev. That is depressing.
Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or do 99% of SWE jobs offers seem completely pointless?
#25Any headline that starts with a question can be answered with a "yes" :)
I guess it can also be answered with a "no", so i fail to see your point.
Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or do 99% of SWE jobs offers seem completely pointless?
#26Not a software engineer, but have gone through this.
Siva7 is partially correct that coming to this realization is depressing af and can lead to a feedback loop of negativity that's hard to break.
It isn't you though. Really, there are tons of useless roles and companies. See the book Bullshit Jobs.
Also, 40 hour work weeks are just ridiculous unbalanced. It's more like 50+ hours when factoring in commuting and lunch etc.
I'd offer a few solutions.
1. If you focus on what your life goals are, or what fun things you can do with the money that a full time job brings it can make it more bearable. 2. Find a gig that you can work 32 hours a week—makes all the difference. 3. Build or buy a small business and work your own hours on something you care about. www.empireflippers.com; www.bizbuysell.com
A lot of exercise helps too.
Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or do 99% of SWE jobs offers seem completely pointless?
#27A pointless job can still be a good time if the people are good. If you hone a skill, it's rewarding to put it to professional use
Sometimes I want to off myself too, but work isn't why. I have the unhealthy habit to overwork when I'm feeling that mood tho, so it's different for everyone. I'd suggest you try isolate the feelings you're having to understand whether working for a paycheck is really their source
Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or do 99% of SWE jobs offers seem completely pointless?
#28Yes, it is you (and few others). What you are experiencing is best described as depression. Been in a similar situation as you once. Of course the most important step is acknowledging that you need help otherwise that feeling will persist. Sometimes the source of the depression has not so much to do with your work life but has deeper roots.
Why do you feel the need to tell people that they are suffering from depression online?
Did you fill out the HAM-D questionnaire in your head based off his post?
Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or do 99% of SWE jobs offers seem completely pointless?
#29Try a non-profit organization?
Or government.
Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or do 99% of SWE jobs offers seem completely pointless?
#30Some people find meaning in building a family. Work is modern day hunting.