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What happened to all the non-programmers?

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Re: What happened to all the non-programmers?

#21

Post by jey »

MrDosu wrote: post #15
jdminhbg wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, there's sort of a weird meme among (for lack of a better word) creative class types that anyone who doesn't use a Macbook for work is literally working 120 hrs in a salt mine to support 8 children as a single parent. It's sort of a noble savage stereotype, but in reality "working class" (even just that name is indicative of this idea) people are still people too -- they do things on their time off, some of them…

Btw we are working class too, even with those fancy 6 figure salaries... At least I'm not living of off strutting around in my park telling my gardener what to do while stroking a white cat. I don't have employees in my factory solely working for me generating my income while I twiddle my thumbs. I'm actually sitting on a computer working for money every day, so: working class.

In the US, we distinguish between the "working class" and the "professional class", with programmers falling into the latter group.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_middle_class#The_prof...

Re: What happened to all the non-programmers?

#22

Post by WalterSear »

MrDosu wrote: post #15
jdminhbg wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, there's sort of a weird meme among (for lack of a better word) creative class types that anyone who doesn't use a Macbook for work is literally working 120 hrs in a salt mine to support 8 children as a single parent. It's sort of a noble savage stereotype, but in reality "working class" (even just that name is indicative of this idea) people are still people too -- they do things on their time off, some of them…

Btw we are working class too, even with those fancy 6 figure salaries... At least I'm not living of off strutting around in my park telling my gardener what to do while stroking a white cat. I don't have employees in my factory solely working for me generating my income while I twiddle my thumbs. I'm actually sitting on a computer working for money every day, so: working class.

That's not what working class means, though.

Re: What happened to all the non-programmers?

#24

Post by noobermin »

My social group mainly involves other physics graduate students. I however don't fit with them usually, so I started going to instagram meetups. It seems like people with a passing interest in photography are much more diverse than the types that go to graduate school in physics.

Re: What happened to all the non-programmers?

#25

Post by jnbiche »

MrDosu wrote: post #15
jdminhbg wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, there's sort of a weird meme among (for lack of a better word) creative class types that anyone who doesn't use a Macbook for work is literally working 120 hrs in a salt mine to support 8 children as a single parent. It's sort of a noble savage stereotype, but in reality "working class" (even just that name is indicative of this idea) people are still people too -- they do things on their time off, some of them…

Btw we are working class too, even with those fancy 6 figure salaries... At least I'm not living of off strutting around in my park telling my gardener what to do while stroking a white cat. I don't have employees in my factory solely working for me generating my income while I twiddle my thumbs. I'm actually sitting on a computer working for money every day, so: working class.

> even with those fancy 6 figure salaries...

And I hate to break to it you Google and Facebook employees, but your salary ain't that great when you factor in cost-of-living. There are many, many thousands of devs across America making much more than you once you account for cost-of-living (and you should).

But between the proven wage suppression, ageism, and now this passing meme that somehow making $100,000 in the most expensive place to live in the U.S. makes you part of the global elite, I have little hope that you all will wake up and demand fair compensation.

Re: What happened to all the non-programmers?

#26

Post by nerfhammer »

jdminhbg wrote: post #7
cafard wrote: post #4

"In fact, just the fact that I’m interested in doing sports for leisure is associated with class, since it’s not something that would be so easy for, say, manual laborers or shift workers." This statement says a lot about his bubble. Most of the adults I see playing soccer in the Washington, DC, area are most likely working in construction or service trades. Softball can be pretty blue collar, depending on where you…

Yeah, there's sort of a weird meme among (for lack of a better word) creative class types that anyone who doesn't use a Macbook for work is literally working 120 hrs in a salt mine to support 8 children as a single parent. It's sort of a noble savage stereotype, but in reality "working class" (even just that name is indicative of this idea) people are still people too -- they do things on their time off, some of them…

To make themselves feel better about working 120 hrs a week in front of a screen?

Re: What happened to all the non-programmers?

#27

Post by shampine »

JOnAgain wrote: post #23

Come to LA. Everyone is in entertainment, and I never meet other technical folks.

I'm in DTLA, everyone is in fashion, film, photography, or works in the service industry attempting to get into the former. I can count on one hand how many devs I know in my neighborhood. I am surrounded by way more lawyers.

But that is okay, and I actually prefer it. Else my life would be completely monotone.

Re: What happened to all the non-programmers?

#28

Post by ripb »

frausto wrote: post #8

I feel this problem is especially significant in San Francisco. Having lived in several other cities, I can say that, at least for me, this was never a major issue before living in SF. Meeting other programmers and people in tech out in the real world used to be a pleasant surprise. Now it's just a given. Coffee shops, climbing gyms, museum nights, hiking meet ups, hanging out in the park, etc etc... I, like apparent…

Well SF is clearly saturated with people working in the tech industry. As we're seeing more and more on HN, there's a huge amount of people in the tech industry who are in it for reasons that do not include a passion for technology, writing code or developing things.

So you've a huge amount of people fairly dissatisfied with what they're doing 40+ hours a week, in an area full of similar people, and who have the disposable income and time to look for more in life outside of those 40+ hours.

So it's not surprising more cultural/outdoor/etc. things are flooded with people from the tech industry in SF, I suppose, where elsewhere they would be both less people in the industry and those that are would be slightly better geographically dispersed.

Re: What happened to all the non-programmers?

#30

Post by WalterSear »

jonny_eh wrote: post #12

I dunno, I like hanging out with tech people.

Me too, and I'm conflicted about it. I'm well aware that I'm bringing my own preconceptions to the situation, but I continually find it harder to engage people outside of technology.

People outside of tech may be more diverse in appearance, but in perspectives, interests and awareness, people working in technology (in my social sphere) tend to be less conformist and more open minded. This may simply be a regression to the mean - but if it is, it's still supporting my conception.

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