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Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

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Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#1

Post by synu »

Some days I think that I just want to basically check out of technology on a day to day basis and either develop a skill I have or learn a new one and work maybe part or full-time doing something totally different. Something totally unrelated to sitting in front of a computer.

Thanks to tech I have a lot of savings. Not enough to retire on early, though maybe starting to be fairly close, so I feel like I could do something like this in the next few years fairly safely, and I wouldn't feel as much the loss of income if I didn't have the savings.

Has anyone here done this and have a story to share, either positive or negative? What did you switch to? How did it work out?

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#2

Post by endymi0n »

If you want a cautionary tale, here it is:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3134322

The coffeeshop fallacy (2011)

It‘s easy to get blinded by how incredibly privileged the tech bubble is and have had a better experience so far just trying to find a great non-toxic spot in there. YMMV, good luck!

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#3

Post by synu »

endymi0n wrote: post #2

If you want a cautionary tale, here it is: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3134322 The coffeeshop fallacy (2011) It‘s easy to get blinded by how incredibly privileged the tech bubble is and have had a better experience so far just trying to find a great non-toxic spot in there. YMMV, good luck!

The original article seems to be down, here's an archived version of it: https://web.archive.org/web/20120529125543/http://thestartup...

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#6

Post by thejackgoode »

I am finishing my masters in clinical psychology this year. Not 100% sure where to I'll bring it from there, but it definitely broadened my thinking and helped to be more open-minded. I guess a takeaway is, consider a non-STEM education if you have an inclination for it.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#8

Post by iagooar »

matonias wrote: post #4

Currently switching to agriculture with a 2 year part-time study. Only want to use my computer to do administration and code for hobby purposes. But source of income lays somewhere else. 25, no savings.

Be careful, it is tough to earn decent money out there, especially compared to the relatively easy tech money.

Re: Ask HN: Has anyone started over outside of tech?

#9

Post by causi »

endymi0n wrote: post #2

If you want a cautionary tale, here it is: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3134322 The coffeeshop fallacy (2011) It‘s easy to get blinded by how incredibly privileged the tech bubble is and have had a better experience so far just trying to find a great non-toxic spot in there. YMMV, good luck!

Especially if you've done it your whole professional life. The type of people who see a major tech company charging for lunches in the company cafeteria and then write articles about them trying to starve their employees would curl up and die the first time a customer screamed at them because their pizza had black olives on 60% of it instead of half.
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