Your job is not sexy

#1

Post by dgouldin » Wed, Sep 19, 2012, 5:34 PM UTC

Your job is not sexy
d.gould.in

Re: Your job is not sexy

#2

Post by trafficlight » Wed, Sep 19, 2012, 5:48 PM UTC

Who is this article targeted at?

Re: Your job is not sexy

#3

Post by dgouldin » Wed, Sep 19, 2012, 5:53 PM UTC

trafficlight wrote: post #2

Who is this article targeted at?

It was specifically prompted by the way I see people headed in software, particularly in the bay area. I used the general term maker though, as I think the same ideas apply to many disciplines.

Re: Your job is not sexy

#4

Post by Dirlewanger » Wed, Sep 19, 2012, 6:02 PM UTC

Sounds like someone doesn't like brogrammers.

Re: Your job is not sexy

#5

Post by macavity23 » Wed, Sep 19, 2012, 6:10 PM UTC

Your argument, as I understand it, is thus: you are indebted to those who helped you along the way, and so you should not be vain. Sexiness is vanity, therefore by thinking that your job is sexy, you are being insufficiently humble to those who helped you get where you are, and you will be the worse for it.

Three points: firstly, how is this at all specific to 'makers'? Absolutely everyone has been helped along the way to get to where they are. Thus by your argument, nobody has a sexy job.

Secondly, I don't buy that sexiness implies vanity. My present job is certainly not sexy, but I have had jobs in the past that would be considered sexy by many, and I don't think that made me (or any of my co-workers) vain, I just think it made me enjoy my job.

Thirdly, being a 'maker', if we understand the same things by that term, certainly IS sexy, in the literal sense of the term. Being able to create interesting, useful and fun things is a very attractive trait. Lots of girls are attracted to guys who can build stuff, and personally I find very few things hotter than hacker ladies. Can't speak for the gay view on that, but I don't see how it would be any different.

I would say the opposite. Be sexy. Revel in it. Go create.

Re: Your job is not sexy

#6

Post by tocomment » Wed, Sep 19, 2012, 6:11 PM UTC

So you're saying to be more humble, or is there more?

Re: Your job is not sexy

#7

Post by columbo » Wed, Sep 19, 2012, 6:12 PM UTC

Not being from the bay area can anyone on that side of the planet who survived the first bubble (2000) to today give an honest assessment on if attitudes really have changed[0]?

Around here (midwest) not much has seemed to change. I don't see nearly as many rockstars/brogrammers as articles I read seem to suggest.

[0] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-yuppie...

Re: Your job is not sexy

#8

Post by singalongwithme » Wed, Sep 19, 2012, 6:19 PM UTC

Bravo to you sir! Hit home about some great points. Mainly, the one about delusion of "sexiness". It annoys me when people who have worked at startups think they're better than those who have secured a job at a stable company. Also, the act of trying to force others to the "maker" class when it's clear that some people weren't innately created for such a task. Lastly, I really appreciated the point about our parents...because lack of family values seem to be rampant in this particular day and age. Keep them coming!

Re: Your job is not sexy

#9

Post by jamesmcn » Wed, Sep 19, 2012, 6:20 PM UTC

Pick up a copy of Popular Mechanics from the 1960s. Makers were alive and well back then, and there was a lot of marketing effort put into making it sexy.

Do we need a dose of humility? Certainly. But we absolutely can, and should enjoy making great stuff.

Re: Your job is not sexy

#10

Post by dgouldin » Wed, Sep 19, 2012, 6:21 PM UTC

tocomment wrote: post #6

So you're saying to be more humble, or is there more?

Humility breeds a state of mind which evidences itself through action. There's not really more, except that actual humility isn't something you can measure directly. So the advice "be more humble" isn't actionable. "Work to pay back the debt you owe" is.