Live data from Hacker News

The happiest I've ever been

ben-mini.com

1–10 of 402 posts

Re: The happiest I've ever been

#2
> For years, you’ve sat in front of a rectangle, moving tinier rectangles, only to learn that AI can now move those rectangles 10x better.

In response to this I would say that being in the industry comes with a lot of learned role-playing, and if you are no longer happy role-playing your job in one way, throw it entirely out and find a new path.

Re: The happiest I've ever been

#3
The latest developments in digital culture are somehow more frustrating than anything I saw in the previous 26 years. Experience is replaced by prompts. Taste perfected over the years with defaults.

I'm not afraid of competition with AI-driven competitors — I'm afraid of people replacing real beauty with A/B mechanics.

Perhaps this is indeed a good moment to switch to offline.

Thank you for sharing your inspiring example.

Re: The happiest I've ever been

#4

> For years, you’ve sat in front of a rectangle, moving tinier rectangles, only to learn that AI can now move those rectangles 10x better. In response to this I would say that being in the industry comes with a lot of learned role-playing, and if you are no longer happy role-playing your job in one way, throw it entirely out and find a new path.

> only to learn that AI can now move those rectangles 10x better

Teams are already using AI to scout opponents and plan game strategy. IDK how much that will ever happen at the youth level because they generally don't keep detailed stats at that age but it will be coming to high school sports for sure, if it isn't already being used.

Re: The happiest I've ever been

#5

The latest developments in digital culture are somehow more frustrating than anything I saw in the previous 26 years. Experience is replaced by prompts. Taste perfected over the years with defaults. I'm not afraid of competition with AI-driven competitors — I'm afraid of people replacing real beauty with A/B mechanics. Perhaps this is indeed a good moment to switch to offline. Thank you for sharing your inspiring exa…

I started programming when I was eleven years old and I’m now in my 40s. I have no idea what to do with the rest of my life.

Re: The happiest I've ever been

#6
These blog posts are fascinating to read. I don't have a personal blog, but if I did I'm sure I would've written a very similar post as I've been wrestling with similar thoughts over the last few weeks. I have the distinct sense that I will look back on February 2026 as an inflection point, where AI crossed over from being an interesting parlor trick to something that fundamentally and irreversibly altered what I do day-to-day. It's bittersweet, for sure - it feels inevitable that the craft of software development that I've loved for years will be seen as an archaic relic at some point in the not too distant future. It may be several years yet before the impact is broadly felt (the full impact of today's frontier models has yet to be felt by the general public - to say nothing of models that will be released in the next few years) but this train doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. This post was a helpful reminder that who I am is not defined by the code I write (or don't write) - there's so much more to life than code.

Re: The happiest I've ever been

#7
post #5

The latest developments in digital culture are somehow more frustrating than anything I saw in the previous 26 years. Experience is replaced by prompts. Taste perfected over the years with defaults. I'm not afraid of competition with AI-driven competitors — I'm afraid of people replacing real beauty with A/B mechanics. Perhaps this is indeed a good moment to switch to offline. Thank you for sharing your inspiring exa…

I started programming when I was eleven years old and I’m now in my 40s. I have no idea what to do with the rest of my life.

Same here. I've long had the feeling that the internet could somehow help the world, but honestly, I don't feel that's the case anymore.

Re: The happiest I've ever been

#8
post #5

The latest developments in digital culture are somehow more frustrating than anything I saw in the previous 26 years. Experience is replaced by prompts. Taste perfected over the years with defaults. I'm not afraid of competition with AI-driven competitors — I'm afraid of people replacing real beauty with A/B mechanics. Perhaps this is indeed a good moment to switch to offline. Thank you for sharing your inspiring exa…

I started programming when I was eleven years old and I’m now in my 40s. I have no idea what to do with the rest of my life.

“Have you ever considered piracy? You’d make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts”

https://youtu.be/IIbeFgaYTNs

Re: The happiest I've ever been

#9

> For years, you’ve sat in front of a rectangle, moving tinier rectangles, only to learn that AI can now move those rectangles 10x better. In response to this I would say that being in the industry comes with a lot of learned role-playing, and if you are no longer happy role-playing your job in one way, throw it entirely out and find a new path.

[deleted]

Re: The happiest I've ever been

#10
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I started programming when I was eleven years old and I’m now in my 40s. I have no idea what to do with the rest of my life.

“Have you ever considered piracy? You’d make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts” https://youtu.be/IIbeFgaYTNs

[deleted]
Post reply on HN