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Comment by WanderPanda | Hacker News Reader

"...even though I could've been 'milking it' instead, just like so many people around me did". I really don't like this kind of attitude, coming up with excuses for "underperforming" based on how morally superior ones behaviour is and suggesting that by just flipping the moral switch they could perform equally well.

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I think this attitude is commonly expressed by those wholly devoted to their jobs. Often those “milking it” just have other focuses in life: family, hobbies, enjoying life. Dedicated workers are just too myopic to see anything beyond their job and assume others with wider purveys are lazy.

It's Lukas here, author of the article. I can see how this could be misinterpreted, I should've done a better job of explaining what I mean by this - what I specifically meant was choosing unfulfilling and sketchy client work, just because it pays much more. As for people doing well financially with their own business - that's great! I applaud them, and want to be doing better myself. But what you seem to be missing in your comment - for me, it's about priorities. And yes, with my experience with iOS development now, I could "flip the switch" and immediately start making ~4 times more than what I'm making now, if maximizing income was my priority. But it isn't. So, to sum it up: to each its own. For me, the way I come to money is much more important to me than how much money I make.

What you consider to be an excuse is merely a matter of perspective.

The author would claim there are no excuses to be made and that "milking it" is a simple matter of fact.

And some of the people who the author claims were "milking it" would likely do the same: No excuses, after all business is about making money and if you make money (and not break the law in the process) you are doing it right.

Like you said: You don't like it. That's fine. Implying that someone who is smug about choosing anything over money is making "excuses" seems like a bit of a stretch, just as it would be a stretch to claim that everyone who is smug about being successful in business is "milking it".

I guess the lesson here is, that being smug is not very likeable.

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