Why is everyone so busy? (2014) • Hacker News Board

Re: Why is everyone so busy? (2014)

#41

Post by LandR » Sat, Apr 07, 2018, 12:56 PM UTC

mpfundstein wrote: post #40

LandR wrote: post #28

My last job, I had so much more free time. I finished at 4 each day and sometimes took 3 hour lunches. Someone would text me in another city and ask if I could come through and meet them. I would often just walk out of work (it wasn't a problem) and go meet them. If it meant that I didn't get back to the office that day, so be it. There was lots of time spent with friends and family, it was great. My current job, I e…

Was money the only reason for u to leave your old - and awesome - work?

No. Unfortunately, they closed our office and moved a lot of the work offshore. As an aside, I did have a little laugh a year after they let us all go, it came out in the news that they missed a LOT of SLAs that next year and it potentially cost them millions.

Re: Why is everyone so busy? (2014)

#42

Post by coldtea » Sat, Apr 07, 2018, 1:06 PM UTC

brisance wrote: post #38

coldtea wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Capitalism is hardly a “Western” concept. It is, based on all conventional historical sources, originating around the 15th century or so with the city states of Italy. > Japan, like many Asian countries, were within China’s sphere of influence long before there was any contact with Westerners. Which is irrelevant. It was a feudal economy back then, and it tried to be so even after contact with Westerners for a whil…

>It is, based on all conventional historical sources, originating around the 15th century or so with the city states of Italy. The parent comment was speaking of “capitalism” as an euphemism for “wage slavery”, not in the classical sense of capitalism as defined by economics i.e. private ownership of the means of production. In that comment, payment for services i.e. wages is hardly “Western”, nor invented in the 15t…

>The parent comment was speaking of “capitalism” as an euphemism for “wage slavery”

Well, the TFA speaks specifically about the "modern" form of "wage slavery" in Japan -- as tied to big corporations, office and factory jobs, consumer culture, etc, not generally about working to make a living by being paid a wage.

Which is tied to capitalism. People didn't work like that before their contact with capitalism and when "free trade" was imposed on them by force.

Re: Why is everyone so busy? (2014)

#43

Post by marak830 » Sat, Apr 07, 2018, 1:14 PM UTC

KozmoNau7 wrote: post #26

This "must be busy" mindset and 50+ hour work weeks is so utterly alien and wrong to me, and I'm glad I feel this way. I would never let a job get in the way of family and social experiences, in the way of my life . Relaxation and leisure time is absolutely non-negotiable for me, I would never give up on a concert or culinary experience or anything else for something as mundane as work. I think this mindset has also…

I am the same as you, alas I cannot afford not to work the hours I do (for which I have copped quite a bit of flack on HN about).

I do wonder why people who can afford to spend time with their family and not work 60-70 hours per week, actually do.

I can only imagine it would be that they really enjoy their work that much, or their in a culture such as here in Japan where you stay until the boss leaves - or else. (Not my situation, I'm a chef, stupid hours in my industry).

Re: Why is everyone so busy? (2014)

#44

Post by Noumenon72 » Sat, Apr 07, 2018, 1:41 PM UTC

LandR wrote: post #28

My last job, I had so much more free time. I finished at 4 each day and sometimes took 3 hour lunches. Someone would text me in another city and ask if I could come through and meet them. I would often just walk out of work (it wasn't a problem) and go meet them. If it meant that I didn't get back to the office that day, so be it. There was lots of time spent with friends and family, it was great. My current job, I e…

The college-educated are hardly ever long-term unemployed. There will be costs (for one, I felt so insecure that I might not find a job that I'm still anxious). But the main mechanism of "unemployed once, never work again" is unskilled workers who get depressed and so fat they can't even fit into a forklift. Not skilled people finding the labor market somehow unwilling to clear.

Re: Why is everyone so busy? (2014)

#45

Post by ForRealsies » Sat, Apr 07, 2018, 2:06 PM UTC

mrhappyunhappy wrote: post #36

sixhobbits wrote: post #12

I found this article really interesting and extremely well written. The excerpt below is a literary masterpiece.(other comments complain about paywall but on mobile I got "3 articles free" message. Not sure if they're A/B testing or if they're giving me free stuff because I'm in South Africa and they assume that online payments are hard here) "Leisure time is now the stuff of myth. Some are cursed with too much. Othe…

I wonder if this author has children. I couldn’t read because of paywall. My life came to a slow and boredom was setting in slowly until I had a child. Living through his life makes me feel excited again, not for myself but knowing everything he’ll go experience. If anyone reading this has a choice in having kids but hadn’t yet, I’d highly recommend it. Yes it’s hard and strange at first but worth every moment. Just…

I believe you are experiencing more 'excitement' in life, not because you are living vicariously through a 6 month-old, but because you have new-found responsibility. Responsibility is what fills your life with meaning.

Obligatory video on responsibility for young people https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uuRtx_BCjQ

Re: Why is everyone so busy? (2014)

#46

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Apr 07, 2018, 2:21 PM UTC

_lbaq wrote: post #30

LandR wrote: post #28

My last job, I had so much more free time. I finished at 4 each day and sometimes took 3 hour lunches. Someone would text me in another city and ask if I could come through and meet them. I would often just walk out of work (it wasn't a problem) and go meet them. If it meant that I didn't get back to the office that day, so be it. There was lots of time spent with friends and family, it was great. My current job, I e…

>But then I worry if you take that long off, how hard would it be to get back to work afterwards? Dont worry, its pointless, you must do what makes you happy, everything else will follow. 2 years is nothing, if the time is used to learn more about yourself or helping others, its a huge plus in a CV.

[deleted]

Re: Why is everyone so busy? (2014)

#47

Post by NPMaxwell » Sat, Apr 07, 2018, 2:24 PM UTC

LandR wrote: post #41

mpfundstein wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Was money the only reason for u to leave your old - and awesome - work?

No. Unfortunately, they closed our office and moved a lot of the work offshore. As an aside, I did have a little laugh a year after they let us all go, it came out in the news that they missed a LOT of SLAs that next year and it potentially cost them millions.

I know of one company that keeps track of layoffs at a single multinational, and hires all of the engineers who get laid off. Inevitably, the company seeks out the laid-off engineers to hire them back and has to hire them as consultants. This only works off of companies with this style of management.

Re: Why is everyone so busy? (2014)

#48

Post by justaguyhere » Sat, Apr 07, 2018, 2:25 PM UTC

KozmoNau7 wrote: post #26

This "must be busy" mindset and 50+ hour work weeks is so utterly alien and wrong to me, and I'm glad I feel this way. I would never let a job get in the way of family and social experiences, in the way of my life . Relaxation and leisure time is absolutely non-negotiable for me, I would never give up on a concert or culinary experience or anything else for something as mundane as work. I think this mindset has also…

I guess people work long hours out of necessity. Where I work, there are people who regularly put in 12 hour days, and even work at the weekend. This puts pressure on other people and makes the overall culture bad.

At least in software dev, we have some choices. There aren't that many choices for people in other professions. It is put up or leave situation, and people end up with long hours.

Re: Why is everyone so busy? (2014)

#49

Post by justaguyhere » Sat, Apr 07, 2018, 2:26 PM UTC

LandR wrote: post #28

My last job, I had so much more free time. I finished at 4 each day and sometimes took 3 hour lunches. Someone would text me in another city and ask if I could come through and meet them. I would often just walk out of work (it wasn't a problem) and go meet them. If it meant that I didn't get back to the office that day, so be it. There was lots of time spent with friends and family, it was great. My current job, I e…

I would often just walk out of work

In one of my previous jobs, while leaving at 5:30 pm (started at 9 am), the CTO asks "half day today?", only half jokingly :(

Re: Why is everyone so busy? (2014)

#50

Post by rhizome31 » Sat, Apr 07, 2018, 2:44 PM UTC

LandR wrote: post #28

My last job, I had so much more free time. I finished at 4 each day and sometimes took 3 hour lunches. Someone would text me in another city and ask if I could come through and meet them. I would often just walk out of work (it wasn't a problem) and go meet them. If it meant that I didn't get back to the office that day, so be it. There was lots of time spent with friends and family, it was great. My current job, I e…

FWIW a friend of mine took 9 years off work. When he decided that he wanted to work again as a programmer it took him about a month to find employment. He's a smart guy though.