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Abandoning the Work I Hated

opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com

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Re: Abandoning the Work I Hated

#11

Post by skrebbel »

patkai wrote: post #5
searine wrote: post #2

>Robert Markowitz is working on a memoir. Thriller of the century.

Wisdom and happiness are often boring (try reading the meditations of Marcus Aurelius, I loved it but occasionally yawned). "Success" at any cost, extremes, pain, murder, 168 hour code sprints are more thrilling.

> .., 168 hour code sprints are more thrilling.

"So then I downed the fifth Red Bull that hour and wondered whether I better change that for loop into a while loop because the first operand was empty anyway."

Can't wait for the novel!

Re: Abandoning the Work I Hated

#12

Post by a_bonobo »

nether wrote: post #4

So how does this jive with https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10095776 , which states that suffering can lead to a more meaningful and selfless life?

I think it's implied in this OP that the author did not see any meaning in his lawyer job, there's nothing "bigger than him" he's working for, just making a lot of money keeping actual criminals out of prison. There's no "bigger" purpose in that.

As a party clown/musician there is purpose - he can make kids happy, he knows that "something in his future is expected of him", his work is extremely meaningful to the kids, he catches glimpses of that (whether he actually understands that is hard to say, he'd have to be able to 100% become a child to see the child's point of view).

Re: Abandoning the Work I Hated

#13

Post by toothbrush »

While i wouldn't personally become a clown (matter of preference), i really admire this guy's courage. I frequently think about upping and leaving the security of a cushy job, and it's a lot easier said than done. Freedom is scary!

Re: Abandoning the Work I Hated

#15

Post by toyg »

nether wrote: post #4

So how does this jive with https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10095776 , which states that suffering can lead to a more meaningful and selfless life?

In a way he did suffer, by renouncing financial security and steady employment, in order to achieve a more meaningful life.

Re: Abandoning the Work I Hated

#17

Post by collyw »

a_bonobo wrote: post #12
nether wrote: post #4

So how does this jive with https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10095776 , which states that suffering can lead to a more meaningful and selfless life?

I think it's implied in this OP that the author did not see any meaning in his lawyer job, there's nothing "bigger than him" he's working for, just making a lot of money keeping actual criminals out of prison. There's no "bigger" purpose in that. As a party clown/musician there is purpose - he can make kids happy, he knows that "something in his future is expected of him", his work is extremely meaningful to the kids…

"just making a lot of money keeping actual criminals out of prison".

If the defendants were not found guilty then they are not "criminals". Unless you were in court then you really ought not to judge. (Though I am aware the the American justice system is probably way less perfect than it claims to be).

Re: Abandoning the Work I Hated

#18

Post by angdis »

collyw wrote: post #17
a_bonobo wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's implied in this OP that the author did not see any meaning in his lawyer job, there's nothing "bigger than him" he's working for, just making a lot of money keeping actual criminals out of prison. There's no "bigger" purpose in that. As a party clown/musician there is purpose - he can make kids happy, he knows that "something in his future is expected of him", his work is extremely meaningful to the kids…

"just making a lot of money keeping actual criminals out of prison". If the defendants were not found guilty then they are not "criminals". Unless you were in court then you really ought not to judge. (Though I am aware the the American justice system is probably way less perfect than it claims to be).

It is perfectly fine to judge. Having been a juror in criminal cases involving repeat offenders and lived in cities with crime problems, I can tell you that actual criminals being found "not guilty" or guilty and given probation (nothing) is MORE common than justice being served. The system is comically far from perfect.

Re: Abandoning the Work I Hated

#19

Post by saiya-jin »

collyw wrote: post #17
a_bonobo wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's implied in this OP that the author did not see any meaning in his lawyer job, there's nothing "bigger than him" he's working for, just making a lot of money keeping actual criminals out of prison. There's no "bigger" purpose in that. As a party clown/musician there is purpose - he can make kids happy, he knows that "something in his future is expected of him", his work is extremely meaningful to the kids…

"just making a lot of money keeping actual criminals out of prison". If the defendants were not found guilty then they are not "criminals". Unless you were in court then you really ought not to judge. (Though I am aware the the American justice system is probably way less perfect than it claims to be).

person committing a crime is a criminal, no matter if justice system finds him guilty (I mean come on, we all know similar cases). reciting some law textbooks seems a bit ridiculous in face of reality

Re: Abandoning the Work I Hated

#20

Post by saiya-jin »

toothbrush wrote: post #13

While i wouldn't personally become a clown (matter of preference), i really admire this guy's courage. I frequently think about upping and leaving the security of a cushy job, and it's a lot easier said than done. Freedom is scary!

nah, it isn't. just the first step towards it is hardest. each next one is more and more simple, but we tend to create mental barriers to protect our comfort zone, maybe remnant from times when life was more about plain old survival
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