Quitting the rat race
seanbarry.dev
Quitting the rat race
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Re: Quitting the rat race
#2This is a good article. I will be honest, the Twitter link felt like a very ironic finish to the article, so much so that I chuckled. Some rat races may indeed continue, though maybe it is not all or nothing.
We wish the author well in his endeavors.
Re: Quitting the rat race
#3Just work from home dude, you'll find you can't just quit.
Society won't let you unless you go full drifter and only certain people have a personality for it.
Re: Quitting the rat race
#4This is a good article. I will be honest, the Twitter link felt like a very ironic finish to the article, so much so that I chuckled. Some rat races may indeed continue, though maybe it is not all or nothing. We wish the author well in his endeavors.
We may see an interesting few years for tech going forward. The path for software engineers the last 10 years was to move into the biggest company you could… and then stay there.
A college grad who joined FB in 2012 would have made more money at FB than any other likely alternative including founding their own firm. The same was true for at least a dozen large firms. These big firms came with the added benefit that one didn’t have to worry that your 12 hour days of toil would lead to a layoff at the end.
Re: Quitting the rat race
#5Hey, if being in nature makes you happy good for you but your outlook on the rest is kind of crap.
Me, best time in my life, commuting in Tokyo to my jobs working on a project I loved with people I loved. All the ads on the trains were eye candy to me. I didn't buy anything that I remember but I did find out about museums, concerts, and other events around town as well as various obscure services which I never used but was amused to read about.
Drinking with my buddies, including work buddies about once a week was great. Clubbing, going to restaurants, and going to events of the kind that generally only happen in giant cities was lovely.
I like the occasional trip to nature but as for me I'll pick the city and the public transportation. I love it!
Re: Quitting the rat race
#6This is a good article. I will be honest, the Twitter link felt like a very ironic finish to the article, so much so that I chuckled. Some rat races may indeed continue, though maybe it is not all or nothing. We wish the author well in his endeavors.
I had the same thought about the twitter link. I also find that many people decide to disconnect from the "rat race" and explore the mountains and be one with the earth...often after you're already set up from your racing days that you can afford to adventure off like that.
But yes, good for him. I also like the mountains.
Re: Quitting the rat race
#7After getting up to FANNG-esque levels and seeing the “mountain top”, I’m done too. I’m not sure when or why decide to climb the latter but upon reflection, it just seems so empty. I’m planning on a career change within the next 5 years. Unshackling from the golden handcuffs takes time, especially with a family.
Re: Quitting the rat race
#8It’s a short piece, but it resonates with me, specifically this part:
> I’m earning the most money I’ve ever made and yet I’m the least fulfilled I’ve ever been.
I’m making the most I’ve ever made and I’ve never been less happy and more depressed. I despise being a cog in a huge corporate machine, it’s like the job was designed to be as unappealing as possible.
At the same time I can’t get over the fact that I have it better than the vast majority of humanity. I feel guilty hating my job, I won’t complain to people IRL because how could I? I have it made by all accounts. This guilt completely consumes me and adds a special level of self hatred, if I’m not happy with this, maybe I never will be?
Unlike the author though I can’t just quit, so endure it I must.
Re: Quitting the rat race
#9Funny, I was this guy 23 years ago working in London for Credit Suisse. It’s clear in investment banks that you can just keep doing that forever and get paid what most would consider a lot for doing routine stuff. What bugged me is that I’d stopped growing and wasn’t challenged. I quit and joined a fast growing dot com in 2000, met my wife, moved to the states and we’ve had one hell of an adventure since then. Sometimes you just need to pick a different path outside the current comfort zone, and that comes with risk, but the rewards can be amazing.
Re: Quitting the rat race
#10If you're well-off, have no dependents, and can also work remotely, why not enjoy the mountains, the nature, the beauty of the great outside? Do yourself a favour.