When I was studying computer science I worked couple of summer at a construction site in the USA (illegally, like a good polish boy). It was not nice. It was really boring. I don’t know about other people but I like programming because it’s a creative process. Solving problems is fun. In physical jobs there’s just to much time to think. And yes, programming can also be boring and some physical jobs really creative but in most cases programming is way more creative. If you’re programing job is as tedious as laying bricks change jobs.
In humans there’s a psychological phenomenon called “crowding out”, essentially it’s hard for our brains to attach multiple, powerful incentives to one activity. Generally the “lesser” ones get crowded out by the more important one.
I’m still young (26), and still feel the same way about programming, I deeply enjoy it. However, I know programmers who were passionate like me when they were younger, and that passion has been slowly drained as they continue to code professionally, and I’ve seen it come back when they move into non-programming roles (be it industry change or moving to management).
Generally you won’t find yourself wanting to program 40 hours a week, 48-50 weeks a year, for 50 years without a substantial break, and yet that’s what capitalism expects of workers. Yet you’ll continue to work because there’s a more important incentive than passion, money.
You need money to survive (food, shelter, etc.) and your brain understands those are more important than fulfilling a passion, that’s why you’ll go to work even if you’re drained mentally. You’ll continue to do that forever so long as you don’t have the financial freedom to do otherwise (which is the goal of capitalists, this is why we have COL-based incomes, so as not to overpay people who live in cheaper areas as it’d allow them the freedom to leave).
Totally agree. I myself switched to product owner couple years ago. Now I’m back to programming (I do both actually, come up with requirements and then do the coding) but I agree just coding got really boring. My point still stands tough: switching to a physical job is not a solution. It will be boring and depressing. Switching to more creative positions is better.
When I was studying computer science I worked couple of summer at a construction site in the USA (illegally, like a good polish boy). It was not nice. It was really boring. I don’t know about other people but I like programming because it’s a creative process. Solving problems is fun. In physical jobs there’s just to much time to think. And yes, programming can also be boring and some physical jobs really creative but in most cases programming is way more creative. If you’re programing job is as tedious as laying bricks change jobs.
In humans there’s a psychological phenomenon called “crowding out”, essentially it’s hard for our brains to attach multiple, powerful incentives to one activity. Generally the “lesser” ones get crowded out by the more important one.
I’m still young (26), and still feel the same way about programming, I deeply enjoy it. However, I know programmers who were passionate like me when they were younger, and that passion has been slowly drained as they continue to code professionally, and I’ve seen it come back when they move into non-programming roles (be it industry change or moving to management).
Generally you won’t find yourself wanting to program 40 hours a week, 48-50 weeks a year, for 50 years without a substantial break, and yet that’s what capitalism expects of workers. Yet you’ll continue to work because there’s a more important incentive than passion, money.
You need money to survive (food, shelter, etc.) and your brain understands those are more important than fulfilling a passion, that’s why you’ll go to work even if you’re drained mentally. You’ll continue to do that forever so long as you don’t have the financial freedom to do otherwise (which is the goal of capitalists, this is why we have COL-based incomes, so as not to overpay people who live in cheaper areas as it’d allow them the freedom to leave).
Totally agree. I myself switched to product owner couple years ago. Now I’m back to programming (I do both actually, come up with requirements and then do the coding) but I agree just coding got really boring. My point still stands tough: switching to a physical job is not a solution. It will be boring and depressing. Switching to more creative positions is better.