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Comment by mantas | Hacker News Reader

A lot of well paying jobs are very stressful. Meanwhile many low-skill jobs are not stressful. On top of that, well-off people frequently feel a lot of stress for "keeping up with the Jones".

Sure, we could say that well-off people stress is not as important and they just shouldn't stress about unimportant stuff. But stress is stress and people ability to stress out is relative, not absolute. Even today's poor people are much better off than average people from 200 or 2000 years ago. Yet average stress level seems to be getting higher and higher.

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>Yet average stress level seems to be getting higher and higher.

An important point is the occurrence of "Dominance Hierarchies" which has been persistent in animals/human since the dawn of time. In a small hamlet, it was 'easy' to become known as the best blacksmith, the fastest runner, the best storyteller. You physiology literally changes and you gain an increase in dopamine receptors.

With the rise of technology, we are exposed to Dominance Hierarchies of much grander scope. Kids (and adults) are evaluating themselves against Instagram models and NFL Stars. A 14 year old can win their local brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament and still feel inadequate.

Maybe we should teach kids that they don't have to be the world best to matter then. Role modeling respect toward non winners too. You don't need "dominance hierarchy" to go away entirely, just give them coping skills and don't amplify it by winner takes all systems.

But also, even today you can be good in your immediate social circle and in the past to be in environment of big competition.

Overall we should put more emphasis on journey than on the goal. It's OK to strive to be world's best. But it's OK to not become one and just be 150th on the grand standing. Journey is what matters. Even if you do become world's best, you'll probably won't be world's best a moment later and journey is all you'll have left.

I respectfully disagree that many low-skill jobs are not stressful. They can often be dangerous, unpleasant, and managed by little tyrants, all of which leads to stress.

Is a run-of-a-mill McJob stressful by itself? Now compare that to stock trading where you're risking sums you wouldn't earn in your lifetime daily.

On top of that, management jobs add stress of dealing with your subordinates. You're responsible for their mistakes as well as their wellbeing depends on you. One of the most stressful things in running small business is know that your employees' families depend on you.

Scum managers exist at all levels. Even if you at executive level, it's likely you'll have investors or owners above you. I suppose HN is aware how stressful dealing with VCs is.

Re low skilled jobs

I don't know, the thought that you're pushing a broom because of a laundry list of things (e.g., bad school system, unavailable parental support, etc.) you had no control over has to be demoralizing and stressful.

No one wakes up thinking, I want to be disadvantaged.

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