Comment by invalidator | Hacker News Reader

Comment by invalidator | Hacker News Reader

I think the concept they're after is there are two large groups of people into tech: the people who enjoy it and are here because they're doing what they love; and the people who are here for the money.

I don't know if Conformity is the right word, unless you're viewing the world through a lens where everyone is working a job they hate just to survive.

I've absolutely noticed the culture shift over the years though. In the 90s it was a bunch of us creating things because we saw a way to do it, and we were making enough money that we didn't have to worry too much about how to pursue our visions. But money corrupts everything eventually. Geek fashion was definitely nonconformist for a while, but then became trendy - because it was associated with affluence.

I love being part of the Just For Fun crowd. It makes me versatile - I can pick up new technologies quickly because I love reading about them. Throw a problem at me and it's a puzzle I want to solve, not a chore.

That doesn't translate well to a resume or job listing, and over time it has certainly gotten harder to link up with other people who think this way and want to create things in this uninhibited, creative kind of way. It's one of the reasons I've jumped into HN. There are a lot of them here, and I want to make that be more of my world again.

That reminds me of a thread I recently saw.

https://reddit.com/r/ProgrammerHumor/comments/10rko7k/most_h...

It's so true. There was an incredible influx of these folks after the dotcom boom, after the appropriate delay for them to get through college. Not that there's anything wrong with making money, but it was certainly a culture shift.

I know some folks who feel like every employer is out to get them and their job is to squeeze out every last dime from their given job.

Somehow in doing so (and partly due to their attitude I suspect) they’ve created a self fulfilling prophecy where… they work for those crappy employers.

It’s all about the money and they’re surprised to find they’re not happy.

I was just getting into the workforce during the rough timeframe you mention and I feel conflicted, maybe even angry about it.

It was definitely true that the nerd crowd was looked down on back then. And if you wanted to go into a startup instead of Cisco / IBM / whatever, no girl would look at you. At least down in the valley, of all places. Back in NYC, where I was from, it was little better. People in general just looked at you funny for actually wanting to build something good, useful and/or interesting — in particular if it hasn’t been done. And yes, most of those folks would be in soul-grinding jobs that they hated.

Engineers are a LOT more respected today, and down inside I think it’s for the wrong reasons. People want the fruits of creativity but few want to actually be in the process, or even really understand it.

This transcends engineering. Strange to bring up here, but "It's Always Sunny" did a great bit on this. One of the characters is somewhat narcissistic, maybe psycho, and very vain. He says he doesn't want real power... just the illusion of power.

Deep down it's what most people want because real power comes with real baggage, and most people would rather not deal with it. They just want cool business cards, people to be impressed by them, and we won't get into the last thing. It's not necessarily power we're talking about here, but the principle is the same.

Most people would rather not grind hours of stressful work and/or getting into countless frustrating arguments with other creatives. It's nicer to politic and cultivate the illusion of being important and at the helm of a massive machine.

> there are two large groups of people into tech

IMHO, what you say is largely true, when applied to the world of tech in general. And when applied to the world of crypto, is way worse.

I think that if crypto ever had a chance to become an amazing new tech and make the world better, the 99% of people in it just to make money in legit or less legit ways are simply making it impossible.

When I switched majors to this field I didn't know it was a money field

I get the impression that this site is more just for fun, somewhere like teamblind is a polar opposite

Tbh I'm not that upset about there being a recession because it will flush out the people who're turning this into a money field

>I love being part of the Just For Fun crowd. It makes me

For many Just For Fun would be Phase 2 after Phase 1: accumulate enough affluence that Phase 2 can be done in a typical high cost of living city and doesn't involve moving to a cabin or in with roommates.

Like you say, it can be a mix. They can also happen at the same time. I am blessed that I can make a good living doing what I love.

I'm in this phase 2, and it's both great and awkward.

I moved from Seattle to Kansas City to be closer to friends and family, and I'm building a strange thing: https://www.adama-platform.com/

I'm working on how to explain it, but I love doing it just for fun. I love optimizing and just making things. Even if Adama fails as a business, the key is that I am building the platform I want to use.

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