411–420 of 470 posts
I work with tradesmen daily. They put up with the same, as well as job-specific BS, just like we do. It’s a pipe dream to think it’s some career utopia. Unless you want a change of flavor in the BS you put up with, for a while.
People need to listen to more George Carlin. Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's something so insidiously, backhandedly condescending about tech workers pining for the simplicity of an honest day's job that drives me nuts. Yes, there are almost always jobs with less strenuous requirements on time, fewer requirements and late nights. But the average tech worker has a pretty good gig. And if they don't they can go down the street in 2022 and get one. Trades scratch a similar itch to develop…
Ah yes, the common misconception that trades are simplistic! Most trades (!including plumbing!) have VASTLY more stringent requirements than tech, are often more mentally stimulating, and yes, quite rewarding. Disclaimer: I've worked in software for ~9 years and worked in trades before that. ASE master certified auto technician, father is a master electrician, uncles are contractors. I'll probably become a plumber.
"Biden really ruined the yachting industry."
OK. What does that person do? Does he work in IT? No. Does he work in production? No.
He collects seven figures a year for presenting a particular persona for a successful company.
Think on that before you start comparing middle/lower class occupations. I'm not saying its wrong, I'm just trying to provide another magnitude of contrast to the issue.
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"also be paid eye-watering amounts of money." Thats not really true outside US
It obviously depends on where you live and what you do in your job and how much you work and how hard. I'd argue though that, to say it in OP's words, most of us should get watery eyes every time we see our paychecks given how much time we spend actually working, what the work environment is and what that work entails. We're so incredibly lucky it's hard to fathom.
But we are not, in UK developers are slightly above average office workers, they have no advantage on lawyers, bankers, doctors, etc.
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> Well, yes, owning things is definitely the best job, regardless of what industry you're in. Unpopular opinion: being an owner is hard. You think it's easy until $80k doesn't come in on time and you have to make payroll by mortgaging your house, or you have to wake up at 2 am because a developer got arrested by INS (even though they were a US citizen), or you have to deal with a $150K medical bill that your insuranc…
Ownership != Control. Most outright owners are in control, but it doesn't necessarily follow. I mean, if you're not in control, you still have to rely on those that are not to mess it up, and there may come a time when you have to do the dirty work to make sure they don't.
This last summer/fall really put things in perspective for me. We did a major outdoor renovation at our house, which involved landscapers, plumbers, electricians, and carpenters. Every day these guys would show up at 8am and long sleeves and jeans and hard hats, work super hard, pee in a port-a-potty, and be exhausted by the end of the day. They worked out in the 100 degree heat as well as the rain as the job got nea…
There's something so insidiously, backhandedly condescending about tech workers pining for the simplicity of an honest day's job that drives me nuts. Yes, there are almost always jobs with less strenuous requirements on time, fewer requirements and late nights. But the average tech worker has a pretty good gig. And if they don't they can go down the street in 2022 and get one. Trades scratch a similar itch to develop…
For instance, my entire family works in mining, some riggers, some electricians and others environmental surveying. I am the only one that works in front of a computer all day. When they get home from work, that's it they switch off, no emails, no calls, no reports to write late at night due to a delayed project. Their work shifts to another group of employees to continue or finish. They come home tired and sleep way better than I do.
I think about it all the time and what it would be like to work with my hands in a trade, sure we all work late sometimes and that's not industry specific. But its the feeling of working in a field with your hands as opposed to your words.
It's also easy for tradesman to look at what we do and think its easy too. But at the end of the day there's no perfect job and some appeal better to others.
This last summer/fall really put things in perspective for me. We did a major outdoor renovation at our house, which involved landscapers, plumbers, electricians, and carpenters. Every day these guys would show up at 8am and long sleeves and jeans and hard hats, work super hard, pee in a port-a-potty, and be exhausted by the end of the day. They worked out in the 100 degree heat as well as the rain as the job got nea…
There's something so insidiously, backhandedly condescending about tech workers pining for the simplicity of an honest day's job that drives me nuts. Yes, there are almost always jobs with less strenuous requirements on time, fewer requirements and late nights. But the average tech worker has a pretty good gig. And if they don't they can go down the street in 2022 and get one. Trades scratch a similar itch to develop…
Yes, if you were an actual plumber who spent half a day tugging diapers out of a 2 inch pipe, and some dumbass hipster you run into later tells you how glamorous your job is, that might be a bit annoying. But people in all sorts of fields experience that annoyance to some degree.
Anecdotally, I have two friends I went to college with who daydreamed about quitting their desk jobs and working a trade. One of them, I worked with on construction crews during school breaks, and he'd talk about how much he preferred that to college. He ended up in an office job anyway.
The other guy didn't have that trade experience, he just felt he'd like it better. He did some white collar work after graduation, hated it. Later he went on to work in a couple trades until finding one that fit; he went through a very extensive licensing process, and now makes good money and spends very little time behind a desk. And he's very happy with that -- so it does work out for some people.
No. Plumbing is gross and wet. Carpentry, on the other hand...
The carpentry was easily the best part, and the part that I really enjoyed. The concreting and steel roofing/cladding parts were pretty brutal though. Admittedly a pro could justify spending on better tools than I had but still it has taken a toll on my aging body.
But even the carpentry would be hell trying to do that work under commercial pressure on other peoples projects - never mind that carpenters are generally worse paid than most other trades despite usually taking on the bulk of the project responsibilities.
As sick as I am of tech, I would rather stick to carpentry as a 'hobby'.