It’s NOT funny! With all the AI shit, micro-managers trying to be clones of Hitler, and unemployment to make the line go up, it’s something I’m seriously considering.
It used to be a meme, because every so often a dev left into that direction, even though most devs loved their job. A month ago, I was talking in the office with three other devs when this came up as a topic. It was not a meme anymore, every single one of us had seriously considered it.
My buddy recently asked if I had any leads on stagehand work, because he spontaneously quit his IT job last month. He said that compared to the stress of modern IT work, he’d rather be a local roadcase pusher.
This is the crazy reality of tech workers. I work in security and I really enjoy my work, but I’m about two days from rage quitting and making furniture out of wood.
Most people are describing a vibe not an actual career aspiration.
It makes perfect sense too. Most tech workers, I assume at least, enjoy building things, but these days the tech you build (or tangentially work on in my case mostly) is fluff. Even if the product isn’t fluff, the tech world seems to try very hard to make sure you feel nothing towards it. You don’t feel like you’re a part of it and you don’t see yourself in the work. The product isn’t for you and it isn’t even for the users, they, and you, are means to an end. The end is money for the people in charge of the company or investors. The natural feeling then is to be drawn to some sort of physical craft, something you make yourself and very tangibly exists. Something you can see yourself and the results of your labor in.
I’m going to probably have to do something else, because I’m losing my mind, but I’m not good enough at making things out of wood and have a house to pay off. I relate to the feeling though and the concept of “I no longer work in software and instead make furniture out of wood”. It’s a metaphor
well as someone who works in a woodshop and has received plans from a client designed by ai, i can saw without reservation that we definitely still need someone to design and draw plans.
also im not sure how to spell draw-er, but a drawer is a little slidey bit in a cabinet that you can put stuff in and close.
A drawer and a drawer are two different things, there’s a word for words like that. You can say Technical Drawer to draw distinction I suppose, or maybe Drafter is more correct but that feels architectural to me. Funny enough Drawers have slides, and so do drawers. I need to take my meds
Oh you mean a one man shop. Unless you’re already famous it’s just going to be a hobby shop, the furniture market is completely fucked by overseas competition. We made furniture for David Iatesta, which I guess is some fancy ass design house. A ~40 4poster king size bedframe in red oak was our priciest standard option, we sold to them for ~$2.5k, they sanded a little more, and added ugly finishes and sold for $10k+
Sorry to bag on the dream dude. I highly recommend getting yourself a lathe and a drill press at harbor freight and going town. Both are relatively safe tools (no loose hair/clothing) with no blades, easy to learn, and the range of stuff you can make with those two alone is large. It’s a wonderful hobby, it’s a pretty terrible job. I may still be recovering from the trauma a decade later because I have not built a personal piece since I was fired.
The fat ass that hasn’t physically produced a piece of furniture in 25 years, changes plans halfway through builds, checks scrap for “egregious waste”, nickles and dimes overtime, always has out of scope tasks for anyone he takes a disliking to, I could go on… is absolutely a micromanager. The foreman was paid the most to be in charge on the shop floor, make decisions on the fly, handle vendors and materials purchases, but was frequently overridden by a voice yelling from a lofted office space. Just because they own the business doesn’t mean they can’t micromanage. Sounds like the stuff a micromanager owner would say
I’m thinking more a person that builds furniture, then sells the completed piece. There’s definitely possibility of plan changes part way through when doing custom work, but a solo wood worker either doesn’t have to do custom jobs or can take payment (or partial) up front and not deal with it. I also don’t consider change requests as micromanagement as annoying as they can be.
If you work for yourself, the only micromanager is you, and that’s your own fault.
I recognize that screenshot, pretty sure this was before widespread AI adoption. I can still relate to this guy today, just like I could back when I first saw that comment.
It’s NOT funny! With all the AI shit, micro-managers trying to be clones of Hitler, and unemployment to make the line go up, it’s something I’m seriously considering.
It used to be a meme, because every so often a dev left into that direction, even though most devs loved their job. A month ago, I was talking in the office with three other devs when this came up as a topic. It was not a meme anymore, every single one of us had seriously considered it.
I went to trade school a couple years ago. Like three or four of my classmates were former programmers who were sick of the AI shit
17 year IT veteran here. I work on a dairy farm now. It’s a peaceful life.
in finance the dream is usually herding sheep
My buddy recently asked if I had any leads on stagehand work, because he spontaneously quit his IT job last month. He said that compared to the stress of modern IT work, he’d rather be a local roadcase pusher.
I’ve been restoring classic cars for 3 yeses now. Lost my company 3 months before the pandemic and haven’t looked back.
This is the crazy reality of tech workers. I work in security and I really enjoy my work, but I’m about two days from rage quitting and making furniture out of wood.
See my comments for advice
Most people are describing a vibe not an actual career aspiration.
It makes perfect sense too. Most tech workers, I assume at least, enjoy building things, but these days the tech you build (or tangentially work on in my case mostly) is fluff. Even if the product isn’t fluff, the tech world seems to try very hard to make sure you feel nothing towards it. You don’t feel like you’re a part of it and you don’t see yourself in the work. The product isn’t for you and it isn’t even for the users, they, and you, are means to an end. The end is money for the people in charge of the company or investors. The natural feeling then is to be drawn to some sort of physical craft, something you make yourself and very tangibly exists. Something you can see yourself and the results of your labor in.
I’m going to probably have to do something else, because I’m losing my mind, but I’m not good enough at making things out of wood and have a house to pay off. I relate to the feeling though and the concept of “I no longer work in software and instead make furniture out of wood”. It’s a metaphor
Shit I’m considering going back to retail!
None of that shit except maybe the AI goes away in a woodshop. Hell, owners probably love AI because now they don’t need to pay a designer and drawer.
well as someone who works in a woodshop and has received plans from a client designed by ai, i can saw without reservation that we definitely still need someone to design and draw plans.
also im not sure how to spell draw-er, but a drawer is a little slidey bit in a cabinet that you can put stuff in and close.
A drawer and a drawer are two different things, there’s a word for words like that. You can say Technical Drawer to draw distinction I suppose, or maybe Drafter is more correct but that feels architectural to me. Funny enough Drawers have slides, and so do drawers. I need to take my meds
The AI reason is enough, but if someone has their own shop, then there aren’t micromanagers either.
Oh you mean a one man shop. Unless you’re already famous it’s just going to be a hobby shop, the furniture market is completely fucked by overseas competition. We made furniture for David Iatesta, which I guess is some fancy ass design house. A ~40 4poster king size bedframe in red oak was our priciest standard option, we sold to them for ~$2.5k, they sanded a little more, and added ugly finishes and sold for $10k+
Yes, that’s what I was meaning. You’re right, it would be tough to make enough money without already having something if a following doing furniture.
Sorry to bag on the dream dude. I highly recommend getting yourself a lathe and a drill press at harbor freight and going town. Both are relatively safe tools (no loose hair/clothing) with no blades, easy to learn, and the range of stuff you can make with those two alone is large. It’s a wonderful hobby, it’s a pretty terrible job. I may still be recovering from the trauma a decade later because I have not built a personal piece since I was fired.
The fat ass that hasn’t physically produced a piece of furniture in 25 years, changes plans halfway through builds, checks scrap for “egregious waste”, nickles and dimes overtime, always has out of scope tasks for anyone he takes a disliking to, I could go on… is absolutely a micromanager. The foreman was paid the most to be in charge on the shop floor, make decisions on the fly, handle vendors and materials purchases, but was frequently overridden by a voice yelling from a lofted office space. Just because they own the business doesn’t mean they can’t micromanage. Sounds like the stuff a micromanager owner would say
I’m thinking more a person that builds furniture, then sells the completed piece. There’s definitely possibility of plan changes part way through when doing custom work, but a solo wood worker either doesn’t have to do custom jobs or can take payment (or partial) up front and not deal with it. I also don’t consider change requests as micromanagement as annoying as they can be.
If you work for yourself, the only micromanager is you, and that’s your own fault.
https://www.iatestastudio.com/product-details/nantucket-lamp-M205
I turned so many of these omg
I recognize that screenshot, pretty sure this was before widespread AI adoption. I can still relate to this guy today, just like I could back when I first saw that comment.