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

Why Do You Work So Hard?

sfgate.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 31 posts

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#21

Post by wenbert »

bkudria wrote: post #16
edw519 wrote: post #11

spend 14 hours a day at the office What's that got to do with hard work? The fact is, fellow hackers, as much as we'd all hate to admit it, hardly anyone here knows squat about hard work. Go ahead and haul those 300 barrels up to the loading dock. Or hot tar that roof when it's 100 degrees out. Or open the restaurant every morning at 6:00 am and feed 2,000 people every day (yes, 7 days per week). And never miss a day…

Work has nothing to do with pain or physical discomfort. Thinking is hard.

I totally agree with this. My brother is a nurse. Although he works for 8-9 hours straight and mostly standing up, when he gets home, he rests and relaxes. I on the other hand work 9 hours a day sitting on a chair. When I get home I still think of work and other freelance projects. I can't relax and I get tired even though I work sitting down :-/

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#22

Post by ARobotics »

vitaminj wrote: post #14
edw519 wrote: post #11

spend 14 hours a day at the office What's that got to do with hard work? The fact is, fellow hackers, as much as we'd all hate to admit it, hardly anyone here knows squat about hard work. Go ahead and haul those 300 barrels up to the loading dock. Or hot tar that roof when it's 100 degrees out. Or open the restaurant every morning at 6:00 am and feed 2,000 people every day (yes, 7 days per week). And never miss a day…

A little off topic, but I've always felt that physical labour is undervalued in our society. I did some work for a removalist and that was alot harder (and probably more satisfying) than my better-paid office job. My perfect job would involve some blend of physical and knowledge work, but I'm sure the economists would point out the inefficiencies of such a job.

A typical day for me is entirely in front of a computer screen, but has over the past year occasionally involved physical work actually putting together a robot. I can attest, some time away from the PC doing mechanical work can be nice.

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#24

Post by srn »

I've already worked 32 hours this week (I usually work a 40 hour week) and I've been wondering that myself.I don't even really care about the money except that if I get laid off I don't have to worry for probably a year or so..

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#26

Post by ploer »

edw519 wrote: post #11

spend 14 hours a day at the office What's that got to do with hard work? The fact is, fellow hackers, as much as we'd all hate to admit it, hardly anyone here knows squat about hard work. Go ahead and haul those 300 barrels up to the loading dock. Or hot tar that roof when it's 100 degrees out. Or open the restaurant every morning at 6:00 am and feed 2,000 people every day (yes, 7 days per week). And never miss a day…

I'm glad to see this perspective here. It's bizarre how much of a sense of entitlement we can get working at jobs whose high-level description is 'go build cool stuff', and where if you're any good and you don't like the one you're at, there are 10 more looking for you even in a down economy.

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#28

Post by timr »

natrius wrote: post #17
timr wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This comment has absolutely nothing to do with the point of the article -- it's just a snarky attack on the author's sister.

You're the one who is interpreting the snark and the attack. It was a statement of fact with no judgment at all.

The comment has nothing to do with the subject of the article. It is a criticism of one minor statement, in one sentence of a piece that has absolutely nothing to do with medicine nor naturopathy, nor the difference between them.

I thought that the editorial was a great piece of writing, with provocative questions that matter deeply to most of us. Yet, of the universe of insightful things that could have been said about the meaning of work, the American work ethic, or the value of work/life balance, a one-line, off-topic comment has been voted the second most insightful remark in the thread. No, it's not ad hominem (because it doesn't go so far as to discredit the author's opinion based on his sister's degree), but it's close.

Finally, a factual correction. The author's sister could have been pursuing a degree in pickle studies at Hamburger University for all I care; his point would have been just as valid. But regardless of your personal feelings about naturopathy, NDs are certified to prescribe medicines and perform surgical procedures in at least a dozen states, and in some others, they're even licensed to be primary care providers. That sure sounds like "medicine" to me.

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#29

Post by falsestprophet »

gruseom wrote: post #20
edw519 wrote: post #11

spend 14 hours a day at the office What's that got to do with hard work? The fact is, fellow hackers, as much as we'd all hate to admit it, hardly anyone here knows squat about hard work. Go ahead and haul those 300 barrels up to the loading dock. Or hot tar that roof when it's 100 degrees out. Or open the restaurant every morning at 6:00 am and feed 2,000 people every day (yes, 7 days per week). And never miss a day…

Hauling barrels? Luxury. How about licking the road clean with your tongue?

Nonsense. When I was your age I was killing Nazis for a living.

Kids these days...

Re: Why Do You Work So Hard?

#30

Post by endtime »

lacker wrote: post #8

Not long ago, the CEO of one of the largest and most powerful international real estate firms in the nation quit his job. Stepped down. Not, as you might imagine, for retirement and not to play more golf and not to travel the world staying only in Four Seasons suites, but to work on rebuilding his relationship with his estranged wife. CEOs always say they want to spend more time with their family when they step down.…

This is true. However, there is a difference between, "I'd like to spend more time with my family," which is, as you say, kind of a generic excuse, and, "I want to rebuild my relationship with my estranged wife," which is a lot more personal and displays a level of vulnerability. Add to that the insider comments on the touchingness of the memo and I think it's unlikely that this was the typical generic excuse.
Post reply on HN