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Comment by digitaltrees | Hacker News Reader

It’s only condescending, because you’re assuming a social hierarchy where software development is more prestigious or desirable than one of the trades and that physical labor is harder than non-physical labor. The implication then is that a software developer wishing to become a plumber is ungrateful for their “better” job and naive for wanting a “harder” and “worse” job mistakingly believing it to be easier.

Would you feel the same way about a plumber wishing for the job software developer? Would you call out a plumber for being condescending in wishing for the “easy” job of a software developer?

The more accurate interpretation is that all people have frustration with their job and start to imagine an alternative that would eliminate the frustrations.

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> It’s only condescending, because you’re assuming a social hierarchy where software development is more prestigious or desirable than one of the trades and that physical labor is harder than non-physical labor.

I'm very confused by this because I'm arguing the exact opposite: that people in tech romanticize these "simple" trades of the people.

> Would you call out a plumber for being condescending in wishing for the “easy” job of a software developer?

Absolutely. If they treated it like something you can just step down into without putting in the work, which is precisely how it's positioned when devs daydream about it.

> I'm very confused by this because I'm arguing the exact opposite: that people in tech romanticize these "simple" trades of the people.

I live in a climate where normal (I.e. not extreme) temp fluctuates between -25C and +30C. You can add 5-10C to either end for the above/below average days. There is absolutely nothing romantic or glamorous about working outside in those temps. This “romanticism” you speak of, while very real, often comes from a place of ignorance and inexperience. I’ve done enough physical labour in my time in reasonable weather than I see no reason for me ever want to make a career out of it. Similar goes for interior work, I’ve done the “good” and “mediocre” jobs as DIY enough to know I would not want to do it for a living.

Your overly focused on the perception that any job is simple. What’s really going on is people see the stress and difficulty of their current job and underestimate other jobs. It’s not condescending, it’s just self focused and naive.

I am pointing this out because by understanding why people actually complain it will deepen empathy for the complaining person and also avoid creating a pseudo classist framing of the situation which is actually not only inaccurate but harmful for understanding the people involved.

> I am pointing this out because by understanding why people actually complain it will deepen empathy for the complaining person and also avoid creating a pseudo classist framing of the situation which is actually not only inaccurate but harmful for understanding the people involved.

You misinterpreted my original point and when I attempted to clarify you're now telling me what I'm "too focused on," as if I don't understand that all people have stress.

So I'm finding this reply a bit ironic. Maybe it's supposed to be and I'm just not picking up on the bit.

You ascribed some malice to my original post that wasn't there and are now doubling down. Why?

To be honest yes I would consider it a little condescending. No doubt they would be similarly creating a utopian vision of what our jobs entail and come at it from the angle of “boy wish I could just sit around all day doing nothing”

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