Poll: Do you work for "the Man"? • Hacker News Board

Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?

#61

Post by memset » Fri, Apr 01, 2011, 12:37 AM UTC

I am working for "the man" in every sense that that phrase implies: yes, dropbox, facebook, gmail, and tumblr are blocked. And we use ClearCase!

Participating in any sort of forums or outside communication via company equipment during work is completely off-limits (often for regulatory reasons rather than draconian. For example, Hulu and Youtube aren't blocked because, while they're time-wasters, they aren't really venues for communication which has to be logged.)

I wonder how many people would be grouped in the "lurker" bucket not because they don't have an interest in this sort of thing, but because restrictions at work make participation require too much activation energy.

Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?

#62

Post by zavulon » Fri, Apr 01, 2011, 12:37 AM UTC

NathanKP wrote: post #21

I feel obligated to comment since I inspired this poll: I don't think the way this poll is worded is contributing to accurate results. For example, I can truthfully say that I am currently employed at someone else's company (a startup that I am consulting for), I am a freelance contractor (for the startup I am consulting for), owner of my own company (an apparel and design studio that I am currently working on with s…

The real question should be which one is contributing the majority of your income. When I worked for "the man" I had numerous side projects (none of them went anywhere), and proudly called myself an entrepreneur. Now that I have my company as my primary income source, I see how naive I was to even consider that what I was doing was real entrepreneurship.

Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?

#63

Post by keithwarren » Fri, Apr 01, 2011, 1:13 AM UTC

I am 'the man'. My boss sucks.

Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?

#64

Post by dpcan » Fri, Apr 01, 2011, 1:32 AM UTC

By "Hacker News Community", do you think they mean - those people who comment?

Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?

#65

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Apr 01, 2011, 2:51 AM UTC

trotsky wrote: post #53

chc wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you are self-employed (the situation we're discussing), and you work for the man (your assertion), then by logical deduction you are the man — which is what I said.

what we have here is a failure to communicate

[deleted]

Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?

#66

Post by MatthewDP » Fri, Apr 01, 2011, 3:09 AM UTC

I AM the man. :-)

Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?

#67

Post by gcr » Fri, Apr 01, 2011, 3:15 AM UTC

What's wrong with being employed? My employer is both super-interesting and reasonable; I can learn a lot from him.

Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?

#68

Post by juddlyon » Fri, Apr 01, 2011, 3:43 AM UTC

Don't be put off, most owners of their own companies are running around like chickens with their heads cut off for a chance to make it big.

If you have an easy day gig that pays well and have time to hack on the side, consider yourself in good shape.

Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?

#69

Post by tajddin » Fri, Apr 01, 2011, 4:18 AM UTC

nostrademons wrote: post #51

dawgr wrote: post #25

I'd like to ask to anyone who has worked as both, for himself and for the man, which one is more stressful? To the degree that this question can be answered, I realize it would depend a lot on the exact job and that it's not black and white.

In general, I found working for myself was more stressful. If you work for The Man, then when you screw up, it's generally The Man's problem. If you work for yourself and screw up, there's nobody to blame but yourself, and you're completely responsible for fixing it.

I'd have to agree. People always say that you can make your own hours (which is true for many), but I find myself always on the job, whether it's day or night.

Nevertheless, I'd not have it any other way.

Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?

#70

Post by hardik988 » Fri, Apr 01, 2011, 4:21 AM UTC

Just a couple of months after graduating (in 2010), I attempted a startup and it was a great experience. The lessons I learned were invaluable. But, I had no industry experience whatsoever, and relatively minimal programming (the production quality kind) experience as well.

I quit my startup after six months and now I'm employed. However, I'm working on fabulous new technologies like Node.JS and I'm enjoying my experience. My employer realizes my startup background and I have almost all the freedom I had when I was at my own startup. I work directly with the Director of Technology and I really couldn't have asked for a better job.

Sure, I failed at my startup, but I believe that failures are often as important in shaping a person as successes. And at 22 years of age, attempting a startup as a single founder was one of the best mistakes I could have made.