I don't actually feel the need to change the world.
There are some things I enjoy tinkering with, and I've been involved in a couple of minor political causes, but I clearly don't feel the same urge that this person does to get out there and remake the world.
And so I am not likely to quit my job (which pays quite nicely, doesn't overstress me, and brings me the security to relax at the weekends and in the evenings) and go change the world.
People who feel some overwhelming need to Change The World are basically projecting: Their "world" (internal mental landscape, personal life, whatever) is in desperate need of an overhaul. (Edit: I know because this was me, say, 20 to 30 years ago. Then I fixed my personal crap. I no longer feel like lecturing everyone else about what they "should" be doing.)
I won't even read the piece. I skimmed it. This is the closing line: You should quit your job. But, sadly, you probably won't. (It feels like a kick in the gut to even read that much.) That and the title tell me all I need to know: This individual has poor boundaries and feels entitled to screw with other people and their lives due to his dissatisfaction.
Thank you so much for not being like him. You have absolutely nothing to feel bad about (so I am glad you don't). The world would be a better place if more people were, like you, basically happy with their lives and trying to do some little things to make the world better rather than trying to promote their own Final Solution and running around lecturing people on how they should live. As a general rule of thumb, I will read things that are titled "Why I did X" and won't read things titled "Why you should do X". He knows nothing about me or my life. It is hugely egomaniacal (not to mention delusional) to presume he knows what's best for me.
Yup, I read Guy Kawasaki's "Art of the Start" where he says you should make a startup and change the world. It's incredibly frightening to think that, and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone.
Very few people change the world in the sense the author means (Mark Zuckerberg, Larry/Sergey, loads of scientists, etc).
But if you can set out to change someones world, I think you'll find your work more interesting and rewarding.
I agree that life is way too short to NOT be screwing around, and people should be doing what they feel makes a difference (and have fun doing it). It's hard to agree with this one, however:
And shorter yet are the "productive years"; that period in your life when
you can make a difference, when your knowledge, experience, and influence
add up to something.
Advances in both biomedical research and the culture of work will mean that we can expect to look forward to the "productive/creative years" lasting the majority of our total lifespan. Of course, you can always opt out, as I've seen with many middle-aged friends recently: have kids, build house, and then wait for death in a cushy bourgeois setting.
Judging by this example of navel-gazing journalism, yes, maybe it's good the author quit his job and started a charity. The fact that he feels it's ok to publicly question his daughters ambitions to prove a dubious point further illustrates that he's not in a spot to contribute to the discussion about the value of people's career choices.
The whole idea of a limited time in your life where you can make a difference is ridiculous and choosing other journalists and managers as examples of people who have seen the light and quit their jobs just reaffirms my choice of an engineering career. Maybe I'm not finding the cure for cancer but at least I'm not sitting around dispensing bad advice.
It seems like the journalist never realized that his personal situation doesn't apply to everyone. We could use the same anecdotes and say something far more meaningful, like "life is too short, do something you value."
A career isn't mutually exclusive with a life goal. For some, a career is a means to that goal, for others, it is the goal. To each his own.
Why would I quit my job? I like my job! Dammit, stop projecting your own dislikes on to me!
I get to work with really bright people on really cool projects. My work environment is somewhat laid back. I get plenty of time off. Nobody bothers me for not showing up right at 9am. Plus, I have fun here!
It's a classic human foible. We want to get other people to do the same thing as us, because it makes us feel better about ourselves and our decisions.
Although it's tempting to just quit to pursue your dream, I would advise against it until you have put your financial life in order and save up some money. It's called a fuck-you fund for a reason.
Good point, it's interesting to note the 2 people referenced in the article were fairly well off--I mean one was a manager at Microsoft.
The idea that you need financial success to do this though is a bit strange. I think it's easier to just quit your job when you're poor from an outside perspective because you're not giving up very much in terms of the grand scheme--you'd throw away a penny before you'd throw away a $20 bill right, but speaking from experience when you're poor, these shit jobs mean a whole helluva lot.
Yeah. I started a company after a layoff, and it was very, very rough going. I had to take whatever consulting gigs I could get on the side to keep things going, and those were a huge distraction.
"Master, what shall I do until I reach enlightenment?"
"Chop wood, carry water."
"And what will I do after I reach enlightenment?"
"Chop wood, carry water."
It's not quit your job. It's stop doing shit. Some companies like Facebook are changing the world. So by working on Facebook you are contributing to the world change that Facebook does.
The problem isn't with that. Life is full shit. You may not be a contributor to that, but many people are. Stop doing Shit. If you are a programmer and you know that your presence adds no value then quit!
Stop doing Shit. Go and do interesting things. Doesn't matter if you are working for someone else or you are employing people.
Ambition, entrepreneurialism, etc. They are all diseases… to some extent they are likely genetic; something you’re born with.
The writer was born with one of these, or like, diseases or is channeling someone who has been. He is therefore of the mindset that he must make a difference… do something that alters the course of history… make a mark.
We cannot blame this person for what they cannot control for they were born with this disease.
The article is certainly not meant for the overall public and this should have been stated. Your interest in making a change, putting your stamp on the world, leaving a memory, etc has nothing to do with whether you are a good or bad person or whether you are making the most of your life. Some are happy to change the life on one person (child, friend, etc) while others feel compelled to do so on a mass level. It is entirely a personal decision. It is most likely driven by whether you are infected with the disease of ambition, entrepreneurialism, etc…
I can speak to this as I too was born with both of the above mentioned diseases. I don’t wish them upon everyone but at the same time I am not sure life would be even fractionally as enjoyable without them.
If you're tired of your job, do like I may or may not have done; wait for a performance review or a meeting with a new supervisor, and when they ask what you see yourself doing in five years, reply with something in a completely different industry. Then, hopefully, you'll be terminated and have a chance at collecting unemployment while you work full-time on your web startup.
In the current economic climate I would encourage people to think really carefully before quitting their jobs. No matter how dynamic or talented you may be, it's a pretty tough environment.
In a way, this article reminds me of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. The journey of a shepherd boy who leaves his world to discover the treasures of his personal legend.
"They represent the Promised Land where, one day, we'll start doing something meaningful."
If you don’t have an urge to go out and do something different than what you’re doing now, then this article probably doesn’t apply to you. I think It’s more related to people who say you’re going to one day start your own company, or work for a startup, or “travel to Montreal” but immediate problems always get in the way. You don’t have to change the world necessarily, just be happy and follow your dreams NOW because life is too short.
I completely agree with this sentiment (and I love The Alchemist). I think it's equally virtuous for someone who has little aspirations but to be happy with the life they've been given as it is for someone who wants to achieve a lot in his/her life. Isn't the goal in the end to simply find what makes you happy and live it?
It's not about the quitting, it's about the charity or the startup or whatever. You can run away from things all your life, but you'll never get to a place called 'there'; you'll find that everywhere you go is still 'here'. You have to go towards what you want, not away from what you don't.
You should quit your job. But, sadly, you probably won't.
This line probably sounds best in the voice of Darrell Hammond's embittered-but-resigned, progressively drunker Jack Perkins from SNL about 15 years ago.
"That's a song. It's called 'Shadows of the Night' by Pat Benatar. We should do a Biography about her. But, I bet we won't."
I don't understand, since every single comment disagrees, why was this in the frontpage? Maybe because people like inspiring, loud words; they soothe, make you feel enlightened and accomplished without doing anything. I hate all this new age self-help enlightening crap telling people how to live their life, mostly because some of the world's greatest oppressors used the same methods in the past.
[+] [-] AndrewDucker|14 years ago|reply
There are some things I enjoy tinkering with, and I've been involved in a couple of minor political causes, but I clearly don't feel the same urge that this person does to get out there and remake the world.
And so I am not likely to quit my job (which pays quite nicely, doesn't overstress me, and brings me the security to relax at the weekends and in the evenings) and go change the world.
I don't feel bad about that.
[+] [-] Mz|14 years ago|reply
I won't even read the piece. I skimmed it. This is the closing line: You should quit your job. But, sadly, you probably won't. (It feels like a kick in the gut to even read that much.) That and the title tell me all I need to know: This individual has poor boundaries and feels entitled to screw with other people and their lives due to his dissatisfaction.
Thank you so much for not being like him. You have absolutely nothing to feel bad about (so I am glad you don't). The world would be a better place if more people were, like you, basically happy with their lives and trying to do some little things to make the world better rather than trying to promote their own Final Solution and running around lecturing people on how they should live. As a general rule of thumb, I will read things that are titled "Why I did X" and won't read things titled "Why you should do X". He knows nothing about me or my life. It is hugely egomaniacal (not to mention delusional) to presume he knows what's best for me.
Peace.
[+] [-] leftnode|14 years ago|reply
Very few people change the world in the sense the author means (Mark Zuckerberg, Larry/Sergey, loads of scientists, etc).
But if you can set out to change someones world, I think you'll find your work more interesting and rewarding.
[+] [-] evilswan|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rdin|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Tichy|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Udo|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Tichy|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] zwieback|14 years ago|reply
The whole idea of a limited time in your life where you can make a difference is ridiculous and choosing other journalists and managers as examples of people who have seen the light and quit their jobs just reaffirms my choice of an engineering career. Maybe I'm not finding the cure for cancer but at least I'm not sitting around dispensing bad advice.
[+] [-] grantismo|14 years ago|reply
A career isn't mutually exclusive with a life goal. For some, a career is a means to that goal, for others, it is the goal. To each his own.
[+] [-] ramidarigaz|14 years ago|reply
I get to work with really bright people on really cool projects. My work environment is somewhat laid back. I get plenty of time off. Nobody bothers me for not showing up right at 9am. Plus, I have fun here!
[+] [-] sliverstorm|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] umjames|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ww520|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] int3rnaut|14 years ago|reply
The idea that you need financial success to do this though is a bit strange. I think it's easier to just quit your job when you're poor from an outside perspective because you're not giving up very much in terms of the grand scheme--you'd throw away a penny before you'd throw away a $20 bill right, but speaking from experience when you're poor, these shit jobs mean a whole helluva lot.
[+] [-] PonyGumbo|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] GiraffeNecktie|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] F_J_H|14 years ago|reply
"Master, then why bother?". "Before you will hate it. After you will love it."
[+] [-] csomar|14 years ago|reply
The problem isn't with that. Life is full shit. You may not be a contributor to that, but many people are. Stop doing Shit. If you are a programmer and you know that your presence adds no value then quit!
Stop doing Shit. Go and do interesting things. Doesn't matter if you are working for someone else or you are employing people.
[+] [-] rimantas|14 years ago|reply
I think it applies to much more than one industry in one small country.
[+] [-] ams6110|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] snowshoveler|14 years ago|reply
The writer was born with one of these, or like, diseases or is channeling someone who has been. He is therefore of the mindset that he must make a difference… do something that alters the course of history… make a mark.
We cannot blame this person for what they cannot control for they were born with this disease.
The article is certainly not meant for the overall public and this should have been stated. Your interest in making a change, putting your stamp on the world, leaving a memory, etc has nothing to do with whether you are a good or bad person or whether you are making the most of your life. Some are happy to change the life on one person (child, friend, etc) while others feel compelled to do so on a mass level. It is entirely a personal decision. It is most likely driven by whether you are infected with the disease of ambition, entrepreneurialism, etc…
I can speak to this as I too was born with both of the above mentioned diseases. I don’t wish them upon everyone but at the same time I am not sure life would be even fractionally as enjoyable without them.
[+] [-] padolsey|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] WiseWeasel|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] motters|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] GotToStartup|14 years ago|reply
"They represent the Promised Land where, one day, we'll start doing something meaningful."
If you don’t have an urge to go out and do something different than what you’re doing now, then this article probably doesn’t apply to you. I think It’s more related to people who say you’re going to one day start your own company, or work for a startup, or “travel to Montreal” but immediate problems always get in the way. You don’t have to change the world necessarily, just be happy and follow your dreams NOW because life is too short.
[+] [-] jwingy|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Tichy|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] wccrawford|14 years ago|reply
And IF it makes sense to change, seriously consider it.
That all seems like common sense, but it's harder than it sounds.
[+] [-] scythe|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|14 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] bitwize|14 years ago|reply
This line probably sounds best in the voice of Darrell Hammond's embittered-but-resigned, progressively drunker Jack Perkins from SNL about 15 years ago.
"That's a song. It's called 'Shadows of the Night' by Pat Benatar. We should do a Biography about her. But, I bet we won't."
[+] [-] ignifero|14 years ago|reply