Well, my last job was with the Navy, which I suppose is The Man, but that doesn't fit into any of the poll options. It'd be good to add "public sector" and "military" options, I think.
If Uncle Sam doesn't qualify as "the man", then who does?
Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?
81–90 of 90 posts
Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?
#82Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think that would be "owner of your own company".
No, that's just "the man" in your own mind. You still actually work for "the man".
Isn't that "no true scotsman"? Everyone works for the man, at some level. Steve Jobs works for the man (his shareholders). Barak Obama works for the Man (his backers).
Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?
#83I work for "The Woman". I used to freelance on the side, but I signed a pretty tight non-compete. I prefer the security of a salary job over freelance projects anyway, as I'm in the lovely demographic of broke 20 something post-grads ;)
Apart from that's pretty much exactly when you should be freelancing/contracting as you've got no commitments and the money is phenomenally better than a salary job.
I wouldn't say "no commitments". I'm trying to pay down my loans as quickly as possible, and fix my credit score (which I totally screwed up in college), so having a set budget is a huge help.
I can't risk a slow period at this point. Though freelancing is something I hope to take up again in the future, since I'm not really the marriage/kids type.
Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?
#84I read hacker news because I want to get away from the man, if I already worked for myself, I wouldn't benefit nearly as much.
Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?
#85Doh! I started checking them off as I went down the list and didn't realize there was a compound answer until the end.
The same thing used to kill me on multiple choice questions in high school.
Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?
#86Earlier quoted context omitted.
No, that's just "the man" in your own mind. You still actually work for "the man".
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.
You're having a major case of the "whoosh". In the context of this conversation, if you are self-employed and/or own your own company, then "the man" is the government, your clients, possibly even your suppliers.
Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?
#87Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ever dealt with the IRS? Or even a city business licensing authority?
Oh, totally.. but they don't care about me browsing HN.. ... the IRS might be interested in a LOC count... :(
Well, they're still "the man", and they will let you know it if you don't cross your t's and dot your i's.
Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?
#88What's wrong with being employed? My employer is both super-interesting and reasonable; I can learn a lot from him.
Nothing. But, as said, a lot of (most I saw) employers are not like that and, more important, a lot of people are not like that. I was employed and the only thing I learned, even though my bosses were reasonable, was that I cannot stand that situation. I love startups, I love getting my team to the top and that top is limited by my employer (at least in short term). That makes me really not like being employed.
Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?
#89Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think that would be "owner of your own company".
No, that's just "the man" in your own mind. You still actually work for "the man".
Some do, some don't. If you manage to make your living doing what you believe in and not dancing to the tune of $ or clients, you are 'the man'. But I guess most of us don't have that luxury.
Re: Poll: Do you work for "the Man"?
#90Both. I work for another company and own my own company.