Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Losing two jobs in one year

jbennetcodes.medium.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 192 posts

Re: Losing two jobs in one year

#61

Post by scarface_74 »

eru wrote: post #20
vunderba wrote: post #7

If you only take one thing from this article, let it be this line: My work is only part of my identity. I'd argue that unless you're literally curing cancer, it should be the least important part of your identity. I've never let work be more than the tiniest facet of my existence that provides the resources necessary to well... not die. I understand this isn't the easiest thing for most people - tribalism and pack id…

> I'd argue that unless you're literally curing cancer, it should be the least important part of your identity. You are probably going too far. You are spending a reasonable fraction of your waking life at your career. So you can make it a reasonable fraction of your identity.

I promise you absolutely nothing changed about how I thought about myself after being Amazoned last September, I looked for another job and started my 9th job a month later.

Re: Losing two jobs in one year

#62

Post by DinaCoder99 »

Epa095 wrote: post #55
scarface_74 wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am almost 50 and on my ninth job. I haven’t been “passionate” about my job ever. It has always served as no more than a means to support my addiction to food and shelter.

How booring. Has there really not been anything fun and exciting in any of your nine jobs?

Like what?

Re: Losing two jobs in one year

#63

Post by pants2 »

tock wrote: post #42

It's really hard to maintain this mindset. I remember getting a health scare and everything related to work just seemed so insignificant. After a few days of receiving the good news regarding my health I was once again mentally wrestling with the random stupid stuff happening at work :/

I think that's just the Hedonic treadmill in action. Everything is relative. That's why you see retirees in the HOA getting just as worked up about seasonal decorating rules as diplomats fighting for the future of their country.

Re: Losing two jobs in one year

#64

Post by SillyUsername »

Glad to see this isn't another "woe is me" article, but shows life in perspective.

I've had similar, in the 2000s (dot-com bubble) I was laid off from around 3 jobs in 2 years while trying to buy a first home.

In 2018-2020 I went through 3 jobs whilst caring for a severely ill hospitalised child and some very selfish work colleagues.

Work sucks sometimes, but it's unimportant in the grand scheme of things when personal and life issues show up.

Unfortunately companies often don't care, or anyone outside of your family to be fair, so treat them like they treat you, throw them away when you no longer get benefit from them.

Re: Losing two jobs in one year

#65

Post by DinaCoder99 »

vunderba wrote: post #7

If you only take one thing from this article, let it be this line: My work is only part of my identity. I'd argue that unless you're literally curing cancer, it should be the least important part of your identity. I've never let work be more than the tiniest facet of my existence that provides the resources necessary to well... not die. I understand this isn't the easiest thing for most people - tribalism and pack id…

> I'd argue that unless you're literally curing cancer, it should be the least important part of your identity.

This is not an easy task when many (most?) adults spend the majority of their waking hours either working or going to and from work.

Re: Losing two jobs in one year

#66

Post by DinaCoder99 »

SR2Z wrote: post #17
vunderba wrote: post #7

If you only take one thing from this article, let it be this line: My work is only part of my identity. I'd argue that unless you're literally curing cancer, it should be the least important part of your identity. I've never let work be more than the tiniest facet of my existence that provides the resources necessary to well... not die. I understand this isn't the easiest thing for most people - tribalism and pack id…

IMO it's OK for work to be a big part of your identity. People should strive to achieve things professionally; it's a very human thing to master a craft for a living. But, to be fair, work != your specific company. It's stupid to tie your identity to the people hiring you.

> People should strive to achieve things professionally; it's a very human thing to master a craft for a living.

These two concepts may seem related but they often aren't.

Re: Losing two jobs in one year

#67

Post by DinaCoder99 »

bruce511 wrote: post #14
crooked-v wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, the US has a huge number of people who would rather have insurance-run for-profit death panels than government-run non-profit death panels.

I'm not downvoting you, because I assume uour comment was in good faith. The phrase "death panels" though is unfortunate. Nobody has death panels, nobody wants death panels, no health system anywhere private or public has death panels. It's just a scary phrase used in a political context. Ultimately all health systems make choices at every level of care. Triage is a thing. Organ recipient lists are a thing. Hospital…

> Nobody has death panels

Arguably this is just a description of private insurance, ironically. A group of people decides who gets treatment and who doesn't—except the scarcity here is "profit", not a real resource.

Re: Losing two jobs in one year

#68

Post by mooreds »

nlitened wrote: post #52
bogota wrote: post #48

This is something i think has been slowly changing in the US. At least among the people i know. Work is now just work. Five years ago it had to be your passion it is what you wanted or at least i wanted to be defined by. After seeing how little any company cares about people work is what i try to spend the least amount of time doing. At 5 or ideally 4 i clock out and only respond if I am paged. Additionally i have ch…

> This is something i think has been slowly changing in the US. At least among the people i know. I think your cohort is just aging.

It's hard to know, right? I think that COVID knocked the crap out of a lot of social norms, one of those being "live to work".

But it could also be aging, as nothing helps you understand life is short like seeing obituaries of people only a few years older than you (or even younger than you).

Re: Losing two jobs in one year

#69

Post by mooreds »

scarface_74 wrote: post #53
bogota wrote: post #48

This is something i think has been slowly changing in the US. At least among the people i know. Work is now just work. Five years ago it had to be your passion it is what you wanted or at least i wanted to be defined by. After seeing how little any company cares about people work is what i try to spend the least amount of time doing. At 5 or ideally 4 i clock out and only respond if I am paged. Additionally i have ch…

I am almost 50 and on my ninth job. I haven’t been “passionate” about my job ever. It has always served as no more than a means to support my addiction to food and shelter.

> served as no more than a means to support my addiction to food and shelter.

Haha, that's a poetic way to put it.

How do you set boundaries? Any tips?

Re: Losing two jobs in one year

#70

Post by mooreds »

megamix wrote: post #57

Learn a real craft instead that doesn't put you on a balance sheet. This career and economy movement has tricked all of us into building an identity from work. I believe strongly that we should start more anti-work movements. No not like the one at reddit.

Hmm. What is an example of a 'real craft'? I'm not sure I follow.
Post reply on HN