Ask HN: Finding Purpose in Tech? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Finding Purpose in Tech?

I’m a DevOps consultant. I make good money building infrastructure for businesses. I find the work interesting (even fun sometimes) but I’ve been doing this for a long time. And all the jobs I’ve had before consulting were in B2B. I’ve helped cigarette companies, soda companies, insurance companies, and even governments. I’m starting to worry about my impact on the world. What did I accomplish in helping these companies? How do I apply a DevOps skill set in a way that helps humanity? What should I do if I’m unmotivated by money and more interesting in helping move the world towards a certain ideal? Should I just drop out of tech and do something else with my life? Has tech been lost to the capitalist machines?

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>I’ve helped cigarette companies, soda companies, insurance companies, and even governments

I chuckled at this - "even governments" you say, as if governments are far worse than cigarette companies. I've known several idealistic folks with government jobs because they seemed to think the government was the best way for them to help others while making a living, but we all see the world differently (and government is quite broad).

In any case, I'd recommend you identify whatever organizations (or types of organizations) that you see as positive in the world and seek employment there with your existing skill set. That way you get in the door in a position where you provide value, but once you're there you can hopefully be exposed to things that inspire you and perhaps find pathways to become more involved in the core of that business, if you'd prefer that to more DevOps stuff.

Maybe you could find a job at the Red Cross for example, if you're inspired by their mission: https://americanredcross.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/America...

Sectors other than "tech" face the same structural problem.

Some people, some times, find it meaningful to serve other people food. For others it is just a job. Certainly such a person could collect resentments about the people they serve food to and for.

The marketplace ensures that, much of the time, money flows against the gradient of a want, such that your activity pleases somebody somewhere.

It is fair to put some energy into a personal pursuit that improves your own feeling of purpose.

You may look at, what appears to be an upcoming trend, of people hosting free software as services for others, or open VPS'es, alternative small-scale cloud providers. They are set up to uphold different values than the 'capitalist machine' (ethics, sustainability, energy-use, privacy, etc). And various ways to organize + monetize (where decent wage is often the objective, not maximimising the bottom line).

The capitalist machines do indeed grind up most attempts at simply helping humanity; I don't think that's unique to tech. So I doubt you'll find solace by simply quitting tech entirely. Also, be aware that your contributions are relatively minor in the grand scheme of things, would have happened with or without you, and will not be solved if you quit the game. The problems are systemic, global, and ultimately controlled by corporations. You should not feel guilty for being forced into playing by the rules of capitalism.

I would suggest two options:

A) Try to make as much money as you can and use that money to help humanity. We are all extremely lucky to be in tech at this time, when compensation is massively higher than most other jobs. You could leverage your ability to make money and then donate that money to charities you believe in.

B) Find companies who have missions you actually agree with. While these are rare and don't always pay as well, they do exist. There are non-profits (and for profits) trying to solve homelessness, world hunger, inequality, discrimination, climate change, etc. Every type of company needs software developers. You just might have to take a paycut.

Good luck!

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