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I am retiring from tech to live offline

openpath.quest

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Re: I am retiring from tech to live offline

#391

Post by FuriouslyAdrift »

siren2026 wrote: post #237

I have been at it for 20 years now and have started to feel my time is up as well As a lot of comments here highlights, the issue is not so much the tech but the politics, constant perf reviews, re-orgs, nonsense BS that is pushed top-down. This industry is taking a toll on you. My advice for anyone reading this that is starting your career: Live simply and save a lot. When I started my career I thought I would love…

I'm coming up on 40 years with the last 17 at the same company. I'm so burnt out that I resemble a charcoal briquette.

Re: I am retiring from tech to live offline

#393

Post by kamaitachi »

locusofself wrote: post #379

I feel all of these things too. I'm 42 and started working right out of high school. Unfortunately I was dumb, didn't save money or pursue high earnings until 6 years ago when I joined big tech. I live in HCOL area, and realistically have 10 or maybe even 20 years left before I can even start thinking about retirement. Trying to figure out how to make this sustainable.

I think I was lucky enough to start out in the 80’s.

But seriously, didn’t really start making big money until about 25 years ago, and bailed heavily into my pension fund.

The tech industry is constant change, but the change in the last 10 years or so has been fairly shitty to be frank.

Hopefully, this AI bubble bursts and maybe there’s a few years of sanity in the tech industry.

Re: I am retiring from tech to live offline

#394

Post by quietsegfault »

alchemism wrote: post #267
quietsegfault wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. They pay folks to drive them around.

A friend of mine encountered a wrecked buggy on the road and drove the Amish family inside it to the hospital and saved lives. The entire local Amish community now comes and helps him tend his property, raised him a barn.

It’s like helping a crow by giving it some food, but way cooler.

Re: I am retiring from tech to live offline

#395

Post by repelsteeltje »

patcon wrote: post #360
latkin wrote: post #320

This whole thing is eye-searingly performative. Whether or not he follows through and goes dark after this, this farewell is just so ridiculous. Claims to have not used the internet or a phone since February, does all communication via USPS, declares that AI and social media make him hate himself... But somehow is continuing to post on Bluesky, continuing to update his blog, continuing to post YouTube videos, continu…

Chad is one of the most high-integrity persons I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. He is not fucking around for clicks in any shallow sense. I agree with the sibling comment that your cynicism is deeply misplaced imho. I mean, you can be cynical for whatever reasons, but I just think you'd be assuming (and participating in and perpetuating) a game Chad isn't playing.

Well, at least the way he handless the typewriter and scribbles seems somewhat performative. If it's just a draft version, he seems capable of handling the typing hammers very professionally, adding online corrections staying within margins.

Seems way more seasoned in typing, than most typist of those days. And yet, he can't find the time or patience to retype the piece without typos as a final version?

I don't know the man and don't doubt his sincerity. I even agree with most of what he's saying. But it's pretty obvious imo that this is all somewhat performative.

Re: I am retiring from tech to live offline

#396

Post by senordevnyc »

bdcravens wrote: post #268

Seeing some of these retirement comments, as a 49 year old developer who has been doing this since the late 1990s, I'll be honest, I can't relate. I have no interest in retiring anytime soon. I still see a ton of frontier to explore, and personally I love AI. I've always loved writing code, but was always frustrated at how it took at trudge through learning new languages and approaches, and all of the plumbing and bo…

I feel the same.

I think it really does come down to a theory I've seen here a few times: if you were the kind of developer (code artisan) for whom the code was the point, AI sucks. If you were the kind of developer (problem solver), for whom the code was just the tool at hand to solve the problem, AI is awesome.

Re: I am retiring from tech to live offline

#397

Post by senordevnyc »

bregma wrote: post #257

I have 3 weeks left, but outside of work I've already been divorced from anything technological invented this century. I've been living in a log cabin in the woods for over a quarter century. This essay does hit home. 21 days left. I don't plan to look back.

First of all, congratulations!

Second, I'm fascinated by this. If you don't mind my asking, what kind of work do you do in tech? And do you have a family (spouse, kids, etc)?

I'd just be curious to hear anything else you'd like to share about your lifestyle.

Re: I am retiring from tech to live offline

#398

Post by Shocka1 »

throwfaraway4 wrote: post #309
saadn92 wrote: post #300

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It comes down to perspective tbh. For someone who's worked hard labor throughout their life, the cushy tech job you get is actually worth doing forever. But for people who have never experienced that, I can see why retiring early makes sense, but honestly most of us get to work from home and do our jobs on the computer, which doesn't require much. It's still an amazing career to be in IMO

I've worked in food service, landscaping and factory jobs. You're right, the tech job does feel super cushy after gigs like that. But I'm about 25 years in on the tech industry now and I feel the same GP. At some point, you can't avoid the politics and corp BS and it wears you down. Everything is relative. Now that I have the means to say "I don't have to or want to do this anymore" I'll be checking out after this ye…

I went from big tech to a team of four at a small org. To work uninhibited and with close to zero speed bumps from management has been life changing for me and my stress levels. We all have each other's backs and there is none of that "West Coast Nice" stuff going on.

I worked manufacturing in my younger days and also spent some time in the Marines, so I feel ya on the cushy tech jobs... But I'd just about rather go back to Iraq before I go back to corporate culture.

Re: I am retiring from tech to live offline

#399

Post by [deleted] »

latkin wrote: post #320

This whole thing is eye-searingly performative. Whether or not he follows through and goes dark after this, this farewell is just so ridiculous. Claims to have not used the internet or a phone since February, does all communication via USPS, declares that AI and social media make him hate himself... But somehow is continuing to post on Bluesky, continuing to update his blog, continuing to post YouTube videos, continu…

[deleted]

Re: I am retiring from tech to live offline

#400

Post by HoldOnAMinute »

siren2026 wrote: post #237

I have been at it for 20 years now and have started to feel my time is up as well As a lot of comments here highlights, the issue is not so much the tech but the politics, constant perf reviews, re-orgs, nonsense BS that is pushed top-down. This industry is taking a toll on you. My advice for anyone reading this that is starting your career: Live simply and save a lot. When I started my career I thought I would love…

I feel the same way. I feel sad though that it's over and I never accomplished what I wanted to.

But for the last 20 years my priority has been my family. Pickups and Dropoffs to school, sports, activities, and doctor appointments.

At least I was able to give them a good life.

Living in the United States, my retirement plan is "MAID"

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