Is it OK to Want to Make Money? • Hacker News Board

Re: Is it OK to Want to Make Money?

#141

Post by kamaal » Tue, Apr 24, 2012, 4:15 AM UTC

tomelders wrote: post #27

It always grates me when people with lot's of money tell people who don't have lot's of money, that it's not about the money. Money my not equal happiness, but a lack of money certainly equals stress and misery. And while people are being stressed and miserable, they're not at their best. I think people would find it hard to be so nonchalant about the importance of money and the benefits it can bring if they were wor…

May be its also because the rich remain rich only when someone is poor.

Being rich is not just comfortable but also a social status, not everyone likes everybody to be their equals.

Re: Is it OK to Want to Make Money?

#142

Post by kamaal » Tue, Apr 24, 2012, 4:23 AM UTC

"When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is." - Oscar Wilde

Like it or not money matters. It matters more than you think, even if you take into account this statement.

While you are young you can go sleep anywhere, eat two minute noodles and go from hand to mouth without getting much into the rougher side of life. As you age, you get a family, you get kids, you fall sick, you need to tend to a thousand responsibilities and bills.

Want to put a dent in the universe? good! Sure do it. But before that ensure you have enough cash before you are 40-45 to not worry about getting up every morning and run to make ends meet.

Life can be a lot more rewarding if you have a financial comfort pillow to rest on and not to worry about getting fired, or loosing a job, or a market crash or you kids leaving you to stay away from you.

Just have enough cash in you pocket, you will be a lot more happier. Even if you are not, you can be comfortable sad with money than without.

Re: Is it OK to Want to Make Money?

#143

Post by grogs » Tue, Apr 24, 2012, 4:57 PM UTC

swombat wrote: post #39

_delirium wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Silicon Valley with a tech background it's rarely a very stark choice, though. If you have good tech skills, a the default/fallback option is a pretty nice one, materially speaking: a low 6-figure programming job at a big company. There is very little chance of ending up unemployed-and-homeless, given how much companies are scrambling to hire technical people. In that context, it makes more sense to me to encourag…

There is very little chance of ending up unemployed-and-homeless, given how much companies are scrambling to hire technical people. For now. See how it goes in 20 years.

I think the 6 figure salaries will definitely still exist. The interesting thing is that developers cannot let their skills stagnate. If we stop learning at 30, the 20 year olds will steal our jobs. Going the management route can be dangerous, but going the consultant route, I think it's a pretty safe career.

Re: Is it OK to Want to Make Money?

#144

Post by scotty79 » Wed, Apr 25, 2012, 12:34 PM UTC

paulhauggis wrote: post #140

scotty79 wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hate inconveniences of travelling and after I have travelled I quickly forget almost all of the things I've seen or experienced. Nearly same amount of memories remain in my head regardless of whether I've been into 3 or 30 places. I don't want a house. I prefer flats. While living in a flat you just have to bother with what's inside. House is much greater burden. You don't buy kids. Kids happen. If I had kids then…

"I hate inconveniences of travelling and after I have travelled I quickly forget almost all of the things I've seen or experienced. Nearly same amount of memories remain in my head regardless of whether I've been into 3 or 30 places." Not me. Are you traveling to the same areas? I can certainly say traveling through China gave me many new and interesting memories. "You don't buy kids. Kids happen. If I had kids then…

> "I hate inconveniences of travelling and after I have travelled I quickly forget almost all of the things I've seen or experienced. Nearly same amount of memories remain in my head regardless of whether I've been into 3 or 30 places."

> Not me.

Not most people. All the people I know love to travel. Some even consider it to be the best use of their money. I tend to forget a lot of what I've seen and remember a little and mostly bad things.

> Are you traveling to the same areas?

Hungary, Florence, Amsterdam various places in Poland. Surely there are vastly different places than those I've been but I remember feeling that I gather new experiences during my travels. But after few years almost nothing remains.

> It's also not a good thing to bring a kid into the world only to live at or below the poverty line.

I don't think having a kid would push us below poverty line. I can triple my income just by getting a job. I experimented last year and had no trouble getting hired by pretty big international corporation.

> So you your work is your hobby.

Unfortunately it is not. My hobbies are mostly learning stuff, reading news, playing games, experimenting with software and small, cheap DYI and reading books. My work is building websites and helping people with maintenance of their web applications.

> It's because you're living like a 21 year-old. It's fun, but loses it's appeal after awhile.

Since I was getting master degree in my home town I lived like 16 year-old when I was 21. Maybe that's it. Maybe I'll just have to wait till I'm, 40 and live like 30 year-old and the the money hunger will come along with that lifestyle. :-)

Re: Is it OK to Want to Make Money?

#145

Post by gaisturiz » Thu, Apr 26, 2012, 4:42 PM UTC

Money is a means, not an end (unless of course you’re a rare coins collector.) I don’t consider myself a Silicon Valley insider by any measure, but from the outside it doesn’t seem like there’s an “It’s not about the money” culture. Billion dollar acquisitions and multi-billion dollar IPOs certainly reflect Silicon Valley’s acknowledgement that money is fundamental in any business process. Which brings me back to my first point: to reach any meaningful scale, anyone who wants to solve a problem or make the world more interconnected needs a myriad of resources. It would seem that making money is not only OK, but up to a certain point necessary; not to splurge on yachts and mansions, but rather to acquire the best tools and talent said money can procure.

Re: Is it OK to Want to Make Money?

#146

Post by efsavage » Wed, May 02, 2012, 1:57 AM UTC

bhousel wrote: post #74

edw519 wrote: post #21

2 quick stories: 1. My fraternity brother's father (a successful doctor) took the two of us out to dinner. He asked what I was studying. I told him computers. He said, "Good. As you know, I want John to study medicine. But if he didn't want to, I would want him to pursue computers. But definitely not law. I don't want my son spending the rest of his life chasing dollars." Strange remark. But somehow, it really left a…

> But definitely not law. I don't want my son spending the rest of his life chasing dollars." Strange remark. That is a strange remark indeed, but I suppose I could understand that sentiment coming from a doctor whose main interaction with lawyers involves "ambulance chasers" trying to squeeze money out of his practice. Most lawyers don't do that kind of work and aren't in it for the money, although a law degree will…

I don't think he meant chasing dollars as in "make as much money as possible", but as in the fact that many (most?) non-criminal lawyers spend their time starting, defending or trying to prevent disputes that are ultimately just about money.

Not that it's a bad thing, but it's foreseeable that people go into it seeking to advance justice and other noble causes and realize 20 or 30 years down the line that it's really all about protecting your clients' bank accounts. Perhaps there's something to be said about the ambulance chasers being at peace with that.