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

The boss who put everyone on 70K

bbc.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 381 posts

Re: The boss who put everyone on 70K

#141

Post by skizm »

rafaelvasco wrote: post #124

What this guy did is a thing that most people wouldn't even consider. Looking outside of him and caring for other people more than himself, sacrificing himself for others. I won't say that he was right or wrong but that state of consciousness of seeing beyond your own ego and empathize with others like he did is a thing that we as humanity must nurture within ourselves if we want to survive and prosper in the long ru…

He raised everyone’s pay in response to a lawsuit that claimed he was paying himself too much. Also it gives the company less profit so if he has to buy out his partner (as a result of the lawsuit), he can do so for less.

Re: The boss who put everyone on 70K

#142

Post by rafaelvasco »

skizm wrote: post #141
rafaelvasco wrote: post #124

What this guy did is a thing that most people wouldn't even consider. Looking outside of him and caring for other people more than himself, sacrificing himself for others. I won't say that he was right or wrong but that state of consciousness of seeing beyond your own ego and empathize with others like he did is a thing that we as humanity must nurture within ourselves if we want to survive and prosper in the long ru…

He raised everyone’s pay in response to a lawsuit that claimed he was paying himself too much. Also it gives the company less profit so if he has to buy out his partner (as a result of the lawsuit), he can do so for less.

Doesn't invalidate what I said I think;

Re: The boss who put everyone on 70K

#143

Post by lonelappde »

pritovido wrote: post #73
angarg12 wrote: post #47

> "When money is not at the forefront of your mind when you're doing your job, it allows you to be more passionate about what motivates you," she says. I spent the first several years of my career working in academia for a poverty level wage. I can confirm from my own experience that when you worry about not being able to pay rent and all the bills, it's very difficult to be productive, much less in a job that requir…

That is a consequence of procrastination, which is the consequence of anxiety, which is the consequence of barely meeting ends. Basically in order to be productive under those circumstances you have to ignore reality, which can be problematic for the people around you. But at the same time everything is relative on your perception of reality. We spend today 50-100 times more energy per person that people 100 years ag…

> most of those people were happy.

Is that known?

Expectations are also imposed. We have to commute to our jobs and pay for our apartments that conform to building codes.

Re: The boss who put everyone on 70K

#144

Post by tehjoker »

pritovido wrote: post #73
angarg12 wrote: post #47

> "When money is not at the forefront of your mind when you're doing your job, it allows you to be more passionate about what motivates you," she says. I spent the first several years of my career working in academia for a poverty level wage. I can confirm from my own experience that when you worry about not being able to pay rent and all the bills, it's very difficult to be productive, much less in a job that requir…

That is a consequence of procrastination, which is the consequence of anxiety, which is the consequence of barely meeting ends. Basically in order to be productive under those circumstances you have to ignore reality, which can be problematic for the people around you. But at the same time everything is relative on your perception of reality. We spend today 50-100 times more energy per person that people 100 years ag…

It is possible to be more materially poorer and happier than a US citizen by changing the deal society makes for them from one of high consumption and high precarity (meaning uncertain job, high cost of housing, expensive transportation, roll of the dice hospital bills) to one of lower consumption and higher social solidarity (meaning less gas, less fancy stuff, less packaging, possibly fewer exotic foods, but secure food, jobs, housing, medical care, and a society that isn't socially alienating).

Obviously, the more materially rich your society is, the better the latter deal is, but happiness comes from feelings of safety, not being overworked, and solid social ties.

Re: The boss who put everyone on 70K

#145

Post by lonelappde »

pintxo wrote: post #131
bumby wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> people 100 years ago, and most of those people were happy. I’m asking out of general curiosity and not snark, but is there a reliable source to this? A cursory search on my end didn’t return anything. I often wonder if the obsession with “happiness” is a relatively recent phenomenon borne of our own privilege.

Considering it being prominently featured in the US Declaration of Independence, it seems not to be too new.

The declaration of independence quote was originally John Locke's "life, liberty, and property", but Jefferson changed it to be coy.

https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/46460

Re: The boss who put everyone on 70K

#147

Post by lonelappde »

o-__-o wrote: post #99
benibela wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other hand, having money makes me less productive, since I spend more time caring about the stock market. Like yesterday alone my long ETF lost 2000€ worth, and I bought a short ETF for balance, which went up 200€. Should have bought the short ETF earlier, but I was at work. Here I am actually losing money by going to work

are you me? Although my stock market outing has been very successful. i made my entire yearly salary this week and that is very demotivating to work right now.. Although we are the exception not the rule. My last job had me running around exhausted and I thought being super productive would increase my bonus (narrator: it didn't)

Market timing is a bad idea. Daily gains don't matter.

Re: The boss who put everyone on 70K

#149

Post by pbhjpbhj »

angarg12 wrote: post #47

> "When money is not at the forefront of your mind when you're doing your job, it allows you to be more passionate about what motivates you," she says. I spent the first several years of my career working in academia for a poverty level wage. I can confirm from my own experience that when you worry about not being able to pay rent and all the bills, it's very difficult to be productive, much less in a job that requir…

I worked sub-minimum wage for a decade or so; I don't think poverty is an impediment to creativity. It is an impediment to using that creativity (particularly to generate value and/or income), however.

Not disagreeing, just trying to add some complexion.

Re: The boss who put everyone on 70K

#150

Post by Hoasi »

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #149
angarg12 wrote: post #47

> "When money is not at the forefront of your mind when you're doing your job, it allows you to be more passionate about what motivates you," she says. I spent the first several years of my career working in academia for a poverty level wage. I can confirm from my own experience that when you worry about not being able to pay rent and all the bills, it's very difficult to be productive, much less in a job that requir…

I worked sub-minimum wage for a decade or so; I don't think poverty is an impediment to creativity. It is an impediment to using that creativity (particularly to generate value and/or income), however. Not disagreeing, just trying to add some complexion.

> I don't think poverty is an impediment to creativity.

Poverty may even trigger creativity at times. But stress is the major impediment, and therefore living in long-term poverty does not favor sustained creativity.

Post reply on HN