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Passion over Profits

dillonshook.com

11–20 of 74 posts

Re: Passion over Profits

#11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Making more money allows you to donate more to organizations that hire full time staff to achieve your broader goals for the world. > More money means more options, more wiggle room. Generally while having less time for yourself and suffering more. That's brilliant. I'll take a dozen. > Also, to me personally, the choice between hybrid and full remote isn’t even a choice. Exactly . Being able (have) to commute to a…

If you're able to work from home, why not live inside a forest with fresh air and walking space?

I don't live alone?

Re: Passion over Profits

#12
post #2

Making more money allows you to donate more to organizations that hire full time staff to achieve your broader goals for the world. Trying to do that with your own work has inherent maximum scaling limits. Earning money that you can then donate to those causes does not. More money means more options, more wiggle room. Also, to me personally, the choice between hybrid and full remote isn’t even a choice.

> Making more money allows you to donate more to organizations that hire full time staff to achieve your broader goals for the world. > More money means more options, more wiggle room. Generally while having less time for yourself and suffering more. That's brilliant. I'll take a dozen. > Also, to me personally, the choice between hybrid and full remote isn’t even a choice. Exactly . Being able (have) to commute to a…

>Generally while having less time for yourself and suffering more.

The article is talking about a fusion startup that pays less vs a "normal sort of business" that pays more. I would expect the startup to require more work.

And other example is videogame development. Videogame developers get paid less and have to work more compared to other software developers.

Re: Passion over Profits

#13

Until you've worked at a job where you're genuinely excited to get up every morning and hack, it's very hard to empathize with this sentiment. Doubly so because employers compelling enough to make employees passionate about their jobs often exploit this and have extremely substandard working conditions (exhibit A: academia). Despite that, once you've been genuinely passionate about a job, it's very hard to see the wo…

Exhibit B: video games.

Montreal (or any other video game hub) is a great place to start a software business. There are tons of highly qualified, underpaid and overworked software engineers to poach from the video game firms.

Re: Passion over Profits

#15
post #2

Making more money allows you to donate more to organizations that hire full time staff to achieve your broader goals for the world. Trying to do that with your own work has inherent maximum scaling limits. Earning money that you can then donate to those causes does not. More money means more options, more wiggle room. Also, to me personally, the choice between hybrid and full remote isn’t even a choice.

Depends on what you want to do. For example if you are a really good ai engineer and want to influence ai safety for example getting a lead role at a bug company will probably get you more influence than donating.

Re: Passion over Profits

#17

Only if you are at a comfortable salary already, which for this field is normal I guess?

This is a assumption I have about most folks who are engaged enough to be on hackernews (I guess US based). With the possible exception of those folks who live in HCOL areas - most software engineers I know have a comfortable enough salary to remove obstacles to happiness. Many do choose to prioritize money over other factors - but I often see it used for more hedonistic/luxury purposes - which IMO isn't really conducive to long-term happiness.

Time is our most valuable resource - 40 hours a week is often more time than people spend with their families and friends during the week, so making sure that that time isn't just a means to an end is something I've tried to prioritize in my life

Re: Passion over Profits

#18
post #2

Making more money allows you to donate more to organizations that hire full time staff to achieve your broader goals for the world. Trying to do that with your own work has inherent maximum scaling limits. Earning money that you can then donate to those causes does not. More money means more options, more wiggle room. Also, to me personally, the choice between hybrid and full remote isn’t even a choice.

I'm not sure I totally agree.

Personal profit maximization only works to a point - for example, if you get too old, sick or the system rejects you early and curtails or limits your ability to make money.

I don't disagree that money gives you options, but, far too many people wait until they have enough money to give back.

If you give back while you are working (e.g. balancing working for profit vs working for nonprofit, altruistic reasons, etc.) - that's awesome. The challenge there is maximizing the good you can do if you're giving too much time and energy to your profit maximization.

At some point, someone has do physically do the needed good work.

For myself, the calculus has shifted. I personally decided I cannot wait until I have enough money, or I am maximizing my profit, to go out and help people.

I also cannot wait until I am physically or mentally unable to help beyond financial contributions. Also, I cannot afford to work in the current system that drains everything from you and leaves you no energy or time left, only money (if that).

Regarding the inherent maximum scaling limits of one person- I would challenge your thinking.

Power laws of networks may demonstrate that helping a small number of the right people might be enough to unleash the butterfly effect or play into ongoing changes.

Also, the physical limits of humanity on one person apply to a billionaire as much as a person with little money. I'm not saying a billionaire, millionaire, or person with significant finances isn't more mobile/capable, but it's not a given.

I am for reasonable profit and balance. There is nothing inherently wrong with maximizing profit if someone chooses.

But if we all spend our time on maximizing profit, there still, for the time being and probably well into the future, still needs to be boots on the ground doing work that is not for profit.

Re: Passion over Profits

#19

Passion vs profit is not a dichotomy. If you have a passion for making profit you will never have to choose between the two.

insert guy pointing at his head implying “smart thinking” meme

Or in my case, you realize 20 years later that if you had chased profits and done some ETF investing the next 20 years could have been all passion, potentially without needing to make money for my family.

Lots of different angles to choose from.

Re: Passion over Profits

#20
For me, listing the pros and cons of each company does not lead to the decision I make.

In the end, the choice is the gut feeling, usually catalyzed by just one point, for which passion and attractive working environment are great candidates.

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