Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: I'm writing a book about white-collar drug use, including tech sector

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

441–450 of 642 posts

Re: Ask HN: I'm writing a book about white-collar drug use, including tech sector

#441

Post by posterboy »

Andrex wrote: post #419
btrettel wrote: post #389

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll second this. I don't even drink coffee. I've encountered people who seem absolutely incredulous that I take no stimulants at all. "How do you stay awake?" is something I'm asked. My go-to response now is "I don't. If I'm tired, I get more sleep." Some of these people probably think that I'm lying. There are a lot of people who think that sleeping at work is a bad idea, but I think it's a lot better than guzzling…

As a corollary to the OP, it seems like the people who deliberately don't take stimulants _also_ love talking about themselves and how it's a superior lifestyle. :) Not saying you're wrong, but the sanctimony from both sides can be a little exhausting is all.

Force creates counter force. That's a basic law of human nature. I'll repeat, there is no force without the counter force.

Also, the terminology is arbitrary. Water can surely create endorphin when you are really thirsty. Toxins are problematic, but even water is toxic in high quantities. What's really toxic is dogmatism ... and narcotics that numb senses, which is the opposite of stimulation if you think about it. Only, it's not black and white like that, if the body is stimulated to feel less.

Anyhow it's pretty simple to see which side f the equation is the extreme negative. Fiding the middle is difficult and hence dangerous.

Re: Ask HN: I'm writing a book about white-collar drug use, including tech sector

#442

Post by Blahah »

s73v3r_ wrote: post #328
Blahah wrote: post #42

I am open to discussing this in raw detail - contact in my profile. Most programmers, scientists, people in finance and startups I know take a lot of stimulants. I take a lot of stimulants. [Edit - as others have pointed out, there's a strong selection bias going on here. I actively seek out people who I know take stimulants, and we naturally congregate socially based on a bunch of subtle and explicit cues that signa…

Have you had your work evaluated by people who are not drug users, to verify if it actually is better? And what if you're on a team with someone who doesn't wish to use drugs? Are they just cut out of the big ticket tasks?

My work is evaluated by my clients, who as far as I know are not drug users.

Taking stimulants for work isn't a social activity. We don't all get together and swallow our pills. I just take mine every day and I know a load of other people who do. I also on remote teams with people who, as far as I know, don't. It's not like I discriminate who I work with based on it, so people who don't wish to use drugs would not even be aware that I was taking them and wouldn't be excluded from anything to do with work.

Re: Ask HN: I'm writing a book about white-collar drug use, including tech sector

#443

Post by CryoLogic »

Eilene wrote: post #415
CryoLogic wrote: post #174

I worked in a very toxic post-series-A tech startup trying to get acquired. We where all expected to work 8am-10pm and the CEO would always tell us that if we wanted to move up in the company we needed to work weekends as well. Just a 15 minute break would get you a lecture on work ethic from one of the upper-management who really micromanaged engineers. After about a year there I learned about half my team was takin…

How long ago was this? (also, how awful)

2 years ago, Seattle WA. I am glad those days are over.

Re: Ask HN: I'm writing a book about white-collar drug use, including tech sector

#444

Post by posterboy »

whalesalad wrote: post #5

Adderall and Cocaine. I remember a CEO of one of my early startups would give me 5mg addies to help me get more done. I appreciated it because it was great to get the added boost to focus. I eventually worked my way up to taking 30mg of XR daily (legally, doctor prescribed) and it was the most productive I have ever been in my life. I worked 24x7. I was working a normal consulting job while also working on a startup/…

> Now I am 100% drug-free and am not at the same level I was back then

It pains me to think the abuse left permanent damage.

Re: Ask HN: I'm writing a book about white-collar drug use, including tech sector

#445

Post by philipkglass »

Balgair wrote: post #221
lordofmoria wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Logged in to upvote this. Birds of a feather flock together. I’ve personally never come across anyone who (admits) to using anything stronger than Redbull. In fact, we have some employees who don’t even drink coffee, opting for “natural” stimulants which come with less of a crash. Yerba Mate seems particularly popular these days. However, I may be in my own bubble; I’m very interested in seeing what you find!

Mate is the 'same' as coffee, in that it's just caffeine. There is some research to say that the mate derived caffeine is largely an isomer of caffeine, in that the molecule is shaped differently. This is then used to explain why mate is more potent to users without a habituation to coffee derived caffeine. However, the research is still ongoing and the isomer theory is not yet proved, AFAIK. Likely it's just a place…

There is some research to say that the mate derived caffeine is largely an isomer of caffeine, in that the molecule is shaped differently. This is then used to explain why mate is more potent to users without a habituation to coffee derived caffeine. However, the research is still ongoing and the isomer theory is not yet proved, AFAIK.

This sounds very dubious. Caffeine has only one stereoisomer. And if you mean a structural isomer, then it's not actually caffeine any more.

Re: Ask HN: I'm writing a book about white-collar drug use, including tech sector

#446

Post by tropshop »

eric_b wrote: post #376
woah wrote: post #84

I would be careful of overestimating the amount of stimulant use based on comments and emails here. People who use a lot of stimulants tend to love talking about themselves and often have a belief that anyone successful must be taking stimulants secretly. It plays into the motivation of most stimulant users which is that the stimulants have given them a special cheat code in life. I worked in construction in my young…

To add to this - people often equate energy with productivity. I see a lot of comments saying "it was the most productive I've ever been in my life". As someone who's been on both sides, I used to believe stimulants granted exceptional focus and productivity as well. After starting my own business and seeing what real focus and productivity look like, I believe stimulants only help when it comes to slogging through p…

Just wanted to note that I found myself nodding as I read through almost all your recent comments. As someone just starting to bootstrap a business, I'm curious about yours. Care to share?

Re: Ask HN: I'm writing a book about white-collar drug use, including tech sector

#447

Post by coleifer »

Eilene wrote: post #361
coleifer wrote: post #282

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Didn't know it wasn't shown, I've added to the about section of my profile. Long history with dope, happy to share if it'll help you. edit : I'm a senior software engineer

so dope meaning weed right?

No..

Re: Ask HN: I'm writing a book about white-collar drug use, including tech sector

#448

Post by tyagis »

btrettel wrote: post #439
tyagis wrote: post #397

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty interesting! Can you share what is your favorite spaced repetition software?

I prefer Anki, though I started using Mnemosyne. https://apps.ankiweb.net/ https://mnemosyne-proj.org/ Both are good. I created most of the cards I use myself, as I only add what is relevant to me. There's also a lot of value in learning about how human memory and learning works. Some parts are like learning how to program your brain. Your brain works well with certain data structures. I'd recommend this book for tho…

Thanks!

I found this useful too https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn

Re: Ask HN: I'm writing a book about white-collar drug use, including tech sector

#449

Post by cwkoss »

neverminder wrote: post #43

The way I see it there's mainly 2 types of drugs in this case: recreational and performance enhancing. For instance both cocaine and modafinil are drugs, but vastly different in terms of safety, addiction and last but not least - social stigma. If you want more information regarding performance enhancing substances, more specifically mind performance (very relevant in tech sector), I suggest you visit /r/nootropics.

I recommend examine.com for finding science-backed information about nootropics and other supplements. Great resource.

Re: Ask HN: I'm writing a book about white-collar drug use, including tech sector

#450

Post by Blahah »

alexbeloi wrote: post #269
Blahah wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your last point is a particularly interesting one. A lot of the most productive and skilled people I know are also very clean. But a good number of them are also using stimulants. I think we all inhabit a world of people who think they are productive - in the sense that many people optimise for the appearance of productivity as opposed to optimising for actual productivity or value generation. I can honestly say that…

>I can honestly say that stimulants make a vast, objective difference to my work output and quality What objective measures are you using to evaluate yourself? are you in the top 1% of earners for your experience level, position, city?

I am not comparing myself to others, but to myself without stimulants. I simply do more and better work, by very simple measures like completing tasks and delivering projects to the satisfaction (or joy) of my clients.
Post reply on HN