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I disagree on the usage of agency here and the entire post really. Being an introvert SWE (70% of HN?) a lot solo consultants would be placed between quiet asshole and nice, but not often extroverted. Are these people low in agency? Is the traditional "nerd" low on agency? hardly.

agency per the article: "self-protection, self-assertion, separation, and isolation"

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Nobody but maybe the CIA and select warlords and old money heirs has any meaningful personal agency.

It is what it is. To paraphrase George Carlin: in any store, we can choose between dozens of different flavors of the same food item, but for some reason, we cannot affect any meaningful change through any of the choices given to us.

Where is it from?

I believe it is from ”Illusion of choice”:

> The things that matter in this country have been reduced in choice, there are two political parties, there are a handful insurance companies, there are six or seven information centers.. but if you want a bagel there are 23 flavors. Because you have the illusion of choice!

Separation and isolation not in the sense that you are alone in your apartment, but in the sense that your thoughts and decisions are yours and not linked to or overridden by someone else’s.

The software engineer is notoriously low on agency.

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