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Poor in Tech

megelison.com

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Re: Poor in Tech

#241

Post by augustk »

"I knew I was the only poor person at my tech startup because I was the only person who would say hello to the cleaning lady as she meekly made her rounds around us when we worked late."

This is just good manners.

"I knew I was the only poor person at my tech startup because I forgot my charger once and absolutely nobody had one old enough to be compatible with my phone."

Taking good care of what you have is pure class. Always buying the latest is middle class behavior.

"I knew I was the only poor person at my tech startup because I never got over not having to punch a clock."

I would love to punch a clock instead of reporting time in Jira.

Re: Poor in Tech

#242

Post by Grustaf »

golergka wrote: post #201
Grustaf wrote: post #184

> Nobody had walked me away from my desk to keep me from stealing pens or staples or secrets. Are you saying poor people are always dishonest so by trusting you they treated you like a rich person, which is bad because ?? . Honestly I'm just confused.

Why would it be bad? Most of the list doesn't attack the "rich", in my opinion. It just highlights the difference between the subjective experiences, but I don't see as a vale judgement on anyone.

What is the point of the "nobody thought I would steal their stuff" comment then? It only makes sense if you assume poor people are thieves. In this case it was correct, but I don't think it's true in general.

Re: Poor in Tech

#243

Post by pdpi »

GeriatricYouth wrote: post #36

> I knew I was the only poor person at my tech startup because I was afraid to seek mentorship from anyone above me, convinced that even asking would seem like bothersome begging. I watched the people around me network effortlessly, assured of favors and good words put in. I could only think in terms of what I could offer and how I could survive; they were thinking on the next level where they never had to wonder if…

> It's anxiety but it may come out of the "poor person" mindset, I don't know.

You make it a habit to not make yourself vulnerable to people who consider themselves "your betters". It's a tough habit to break.

Re: Poor in Tech

#244

Post by fmajid »

Invictus0 wrote: post #173
fmajid wrote: post #152

Reminds me of John Scalzi's masterful Being Poor (written as a rejoinder to those who were asking why the poor in New Orleans didn't just up and leave when Hurricane Katrina arrived): https://whatever.scalzi.com/2005/09/03/being-poor/

The author credits Scalzi as inspiration at the bottom of the blogpost.

Yes, I just saw it now (I hadn't finished reading through when I posted my comment).

Re: Poor in Tech

#245

Post by teachingassist »

username90 wrote: post #212
teachingassist wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Food insecurity is an aspect of poverty and is not uncommon in the United States. "Your eating choices" as a poor person might be to eat what and when and where you can afford to.

Why could people manage to stay slim 20 years ago but not today? It isn't like the poor are more insecure now than back then.

The last 20 years has probably made (much) less difference than you appear to think.

From Wikipedia: "The rate of increase in the incidence of obesity began to slow in the 2000s".

But, to attempt to answer your question: e.g., the expectation that both adults in a household will work means that people/parents are more likely to be time-poor and not able to cook. Cooking skills have been lost.

Re: Poor in Tech

#246

Post by cblconfederate »

contriban wrote: post #205
cblconfederate wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Plus nobody would 'recommend a hotel'. An island, maybe

You said that because you’re poor too. Rich people travel right into resorts, not specific places, because resorts sell you the dream directly. I definitely saw the videos of those dreamy Greek hotels with in-room balcony pools and if I were rich I would know their names too. I’m sure that if you contact them you’ll just have to drive to SFO and the rest will be taken care of by them.

> because you’re poor too.

Well you say that because you haven't visited greece ;). It's not the "spa" type of tourism, and those kind of luxuries are usually sought after by spoiled arabian princes. The aspirational SV person would choose one of the many hotels, book trips and food tours around the islands, or hit the beaches and the nightlife. In fact all-inclusive hotels are geared towards pensioners and budget-level UK teenagers.

But it's certainly not possible to do those in 3 days with jetlag.

Re: Poor in Tech

#247

Post by username90 »

8fGTBjZxBcHq wrote: post #202
jjdin14 wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Less likely”, “more at the mercy”, it still comes down to the individuals choices, it’s not that hard to not be obese when poor.

If it's not hard to avoid being overweight when poor, and most poor people are overweight... what is happening? Do you see the obvious conclusion here? Do you endorse it?

People are getting fatter and fatter. It is much worse now than 20 years ago, and even much much worse than 40 years ago. Any explanation you can come up with needs to be able to explain this as well. Does poor people have worse access to food today? Do they have less money for food today?

If we put poor people in the same conditions they had 40 years ago they would be slimmer than rich people today.

Re: Poor in Tech

#248

Post by the_only_law »

im3w1l wrote: post #231

Involuntary poors are a huge threat to our society. They lack morals, discipline and intelligence because if they didn't they would have pulled themselves up their own bootstraps already. They are never more than one step from petty crime, and never more than two from snapping and going berserk on the people around them. When some inpoo walk by me with their smelly ragged clothes or poo on some SF street (seriously,…

The sad part is I am actually having trouble distinguishing if this is a joke or not.

EDIT: yeah it probably is, the “bootstraps” quip, pearl clutching joke (followings by the price point bragging), the poke at the benches and mostly the joke about building unaffordable housing give it away, but there’s enough in their not to far away from serious suggestions I’ve read.

Re: Poor in Tech

#249

Post by ludamad »

isomorph wrote: post #116

Many of the comments on this article are so cold. I can’t believe it. When I read the original article I was imagining all the constructive ways HN readers would interpret it and hold a mirror up to their own behaviour. Some commenters are doing this. But it surprises and depresses me how many people are commenting saying “no, this list isn’t what it says it is, it’s a list showing the author has a negative mindset /…

Being HN, people love to debate, and god forbid you give an in for moral high-grounding.

My student loans were crushing at one point. Now I require my friends and family to remind me the weight of a 'few thousands'. I feel drawn towards a bubble where I can do opulent activities without guilt. I've heard people say to me "yeah, eventually you just cut off those friends still working at McDonald's". I've never agreed - it takes an arrogant self-realization to agree with such a statement - but I've felt the gradual drift. The article is a good reminder in humility.

Re: Poor in Tech

#250

Post by schnable »

GlennS wrote: post #128

Some interesting culture differences in there. For example, one of the reasons that soccer/football is popular worldwide is because it's very cheap. Is it not so in the US? Also the assumption that everyone takes painkillers?

> For example, one of the reasons that soccer/football is popular worldwide is because it's very cheap. Is it not so in the US?

No, but culturally soccer is played by middle class white people, not poorer people.

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