Live data from Hacker News

Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

wired.com

111–120 of 245 posts

Re: Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

#111

As of now the most popular comments here seem to decry the notion that anyone making six figures could ever relay an experience of misery. This is utterly non-sensical. The article, to me, seems to imply that perhaps working at a radically free corporation doesn't yield pure bliss and benefit. Is there some reason this article needs to balance out any possible misery with all the luxurious amenities Googlers enjoy? D…

[deleted]

Re: Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

#112
post #97
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

puts on international hat Actually, all of you Westerners[1] are rich entitled whiners. You have consistent access to clean water that comes straight to your house, you even have a house, with insulation and carpets no less. You have a cornucopia of diverse and nutritious foods, and your social institutions will even feed you if you're poor! Not only do you have all these necessities, even your poor people have opule…

A $2000 rusty car, a $40 used tv, and any cellphone made in the last 10 years do not equal opulent expensive toys in my eyes. There are homeless people with these three things. The 'welfare queen' of your conservative fantasies does not actually exist.

It's written from the perspective of someone living in a mud hut and probably not on your continent.

Re: Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

#113
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My inside-FAAMNG experience has been that most employees seem to be not interested in the politics and are primarily focused on doing good work (people in their 20s), or on putting in their 8 hours and going home to their families (people >30 mostly, of course they also want to do good work, just have additional new priorities in a young family). Then there is a vocal minority who leverage that no individual's perfor…

I agree completely with this. Keep in mind that true evil is MBS ordering the murder of journalist Khasshogi. True evil is invading and conquering Crimea. True evil is murdering your generals with anti-aircraft guns or watching dogs tear them apart while still alive. Serving banner ads across sites does not even remotely compare.

Google enables the US military industrial complex. The US military is pretty evil relative to your above examples. Also, internet ads are way more evil than you think. You know why the news and Facebook suck no. Ads! Profit driven news on the back of a internet ad industry dominated by google. Get a clue.

Re: Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

#114

My eyes are hurting from seeing these articles whining about their misery while collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Most companies have issues, and these issues are not "Company" issues but PEOPLE issues. Once you're large enough, you are going to have people with differing opinions, beliefs and values. These are going to clash. If you happen to be on the losing side and don't learn to accept it, y…

My eyes are hurting from seeing these articles whining about their misery while collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

Multiple easily findable sources suggest that the median tech salary at Google is well below $150k -- probably more like around $130k.

I get your point about the "whining" -- but while the average Google definitely does better than someone with a non-tech salary -- it most cases they aren't bulge-bracket either, or anywhere near it.

Re: Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

#115

As of now the most popular comments here seem to decry the notion that anyone making six figures could ever relay an experience of misery. This is utterly non-sensical. The article, to me, seems to imply that perhaps working at a radically free corporation doesn't yield pure bliss and benefit. Is there some reason this article needs to balance out any possible misery with all the luxurious amenities Googlers enjoy? D…

> that it's not possible someone could have a miserable experience at Google?

I think that. Google employees are at the top of the pyramid, so if the article was true, they would have left for an almost identical salary nearby. The fact that they don't means that either google pays way above its direct competitors (it doesnt) or these people are outright lying, and their actions speak louder than 12k words

Re: Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

#116
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A smaller tech startup only pays better if you pick the right one and it has an exit. One appeal of the big names is exactly that — name recognition. It does a lot for the ego when everyone you meet knows that your employer provides free massages and a sushi bar for lunch.

Free massages and sushi bars don't pay rent! And I'm not talking about mythical exit money, I'm talking about cold hard biweekly salary. I make more money at a small startup than it seems I would make at Google, for example.

You sure about that [0]?

[0]: https://www.levels.fyi/salary/Google/

Re: Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

#117
post #59

My eyes are hurting from seeing these articles whining about their misery while collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Most companies have issues, and these issues are not "Company" issues but PEOPLE issues. Once you're large enough, you are going to have people with differing opinions, beliefs and values. These are going to clash. If you happen to be on the losing side and don't learn to accept it, y…

puts on international hat Actually, all of you Westerners[1] are rich entitled whiners. You have consistent access to clean water that comes straight to your house, you even have a house, with insulation and carpets no less. You have a cornucopia of diverse and nutritious foods, and your social institutions will even feed you if you're poor! Not only do you have all these necessities, even your poor people have opule…

We have safe potable water for now. As public investment continues to lag we will see more Flints in the US.

Re: Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

#118

My eyes are hurting from seeing these articles whining about their misery while collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Most companies have issues, and these issues are not "Company" issues but PEOPLE issues. Once you're large enough, you are going to have people with differing opinions, beliefs and values. These are going to clash. If you happen to be on the losing side and don't learn to accept it, y…

To these employees: GROW UP. Your "misery" is better than 99.9% of humanity has ever lived in.

Re: Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

#119
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A smaller tech startup only pays better if you pick the right one and it has an exit. One appeal of the big names is exactly that — name recognition. It does a lot for the ego when everyone you meet knows that your employer provides free massages and a sushi bar for lunch.

Free massages and sushi bars don't pay rent! And I'm not talking about mythical exit money, I'm talking about cold hard biweekly salary. I make more money at a small startup than it seems I would make at Google, for example.

95% of small tech startups won't pay anywhere near what Google would offer.

Re: Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

#120
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A smaller tech startup only pays better if you pick the right one and it has an exit. One appeal of the big names is exactly that — name recognition. It does a lot for the ego when everyone you meet knows that your employer provides free massages and a sushi bar for lunch.

Free massages and sushi bars don't pay rent! And I'm not talking about mythical exit money, I'm talking about cold hard biweekly salary. I make more money at a small startup than it seems I would make at Google, for example.

Maybe your offer at Google isn't the reality of all offers.
Post reply on HN