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Don't Become the Machine

armeet.bearblog.dev

151–157 of 157 posts

Re: Don't Become the Machine

#151
post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or you should realize that it's called work because it's not fun and you can still enjoy and appreciate it. You think only people with rare amazing unicorn jobs enjoy work? Go drive a cab. Bartend. Work long hours for a startup you care about. Yes you can complain it sucks, but that's why it's called work . Learning how to enjoy it is the same as learning how to be good at it - and better at life. This luxury you spe…

I would like to see you working in construction.

What's wrong with working in construction? I worked restaurants and bars and taxis throughout my 20s, but my best friend worked construction. He's an amazing writer and the lead singer for the band I was in. He didn't hate his work. It's an honest job.

Re: Don't Become the Machine

#152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or you should realize that it's called work because it's not fun and you can still enjoy and appreciate it. You think only people with rare amazing unicorn jobs enjoy work? Go drive a cab. Bartend. Work long hours for a startup you care about. Yes you can complain it sucks, but that's why it's called work . Learning how to enjoy it is the same as learning how to be good at it - and better at life. This luxury you spe…

I think it's called work because it _accomplishes something_, in a way that play or idleness doesn't. Something can be a work of love, your life work, et cetera and it doesn't imply anything about it being fun or for money or not. I want to learn more skills so I can do more types of work.

Sometimes it just accomplishes paying your rent so you can do your life's work on the side.

You can have a life of the mind at work, or you can have a mindless job and have your life of mind in your off hours. It's almost impossible to have both.

Re: Don't Become the Machine

#153
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You want to work on your house and prep your food? I am the complete opposite. I would rather work on building a website, and eat in a canteen, than work on my house or my food.

Reread... > ...work on interesting projects. Been building websites for 20 years, and writing code, studying math, building electronics since the 80s. Along with building homes from foundation up, rebuilding cars... Hedonic treadmill; individually, none of those things are enough anymore. For me having to put so much time into riding a tightly focused job escalator is hell.

I can relate to this... I've been supporting myself for 30 years building apps and websites by the hour, for hourly wages, while working on my own years and years long projects on the side which make no money. I count 8 of them which took at least a year to code, and only 2 which made a small amount of profit. But I think this is actually a pretty great arrangement. I consider myself lucky to work in a kitchen all the time and still have the spare time to try building my own restaurant. I don't look at it as getting paid to waste my time, I look at it as getting paid to improve my skills, and to see the things that other people are missing, the gaps I might be able to improve upon.

Don't tell me you don't have time to do your daily web job and also work on your house. That's a first world problem if I've ever heard one.

Re: Don't Become the Machine

#154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's no such thing as productivity. Productivity is concocted solutions to manufactured problems.

While I understand and somewhat agree with the sentiment you’re trying to convey here… on the other hand: entropy exists, and calories in must be greater than or equal to calories out, over the long term. I do think there’s too much concern with “what” and not enough “why” or “how” in the world.

Nicely put and I agree

Re: Don't Become the Machine

#155
The post is about him believing in hard work but not wanting to see what's essentially propaganda promoting such work ethic in his feeds.

Ok, but is that really the worst thing? People are already constantly afloat in near endless foreign propaganda at this point; pawns in the latest cold war, all being slowly convinced to destroy their own countries from within. Culture / traditions / historic ways of life and governing being overthrown and replaced.

But really, promoting hard work is the top of the list of what this guy complains about and doesn't want to see in his feed? That'd be at the bottom of my list of propaganda campaigns to complain about.

Re: Don't Become the Machine

#156
post #9

If you are only useful, you will be used until you not useful anymore. Make relationships that care about you even after you’ve become worn out. Make things that pay off even after you’re done making.

> If you are only useful

In China we call this kind of person a Tool Man. Don't be a Tool Man.

Re: Don't Become the Machine

#157
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The majority of people don't have that luxury, and very few have it throughout their whole career. The lucky ones should be grateful this label does not apply to them and not feel insulted by the less fortunate.

Or you should realize that it's called work because it's not fun and you can still enjoy and appreciate it. You think only people with rare amazing unicorn jobs enjoy work? Go drive a cab. Bartend. Work long hours for a startup you care about. Yes you can complain it sucks, but that's why it's called work . Learning how to enjoy it is the same as learning how to be good at it - and better at life. This luxury you spe…

Tell that to the introvert who has to work at a supermarket cash register. Or the single parent who has to work three low income jobs just to get by.

We tech workers are spoiled, but we should have a little empathy for those who aren't as lucky as those of us who found a way to support their families by doing something they love.

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