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Comment by ralph84 | Hacker News Reader

It's very unlikely anyone with the intelligence to contribute to math research can't already find a non-hectic job that provides for their basic survival. People choose hectic jobs because they want to do better than basic survival.

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This is such an insane take I don’t even know where to start. Even in the western world people increasingly need to work more than one job / have multiple incomes to live a life where basic necessities are given, and some luxuries are attainable (read: vacation, not rolex). That’s without children, in rich countries. That isn’t even touching on the problems someone e.g. from a lower caste in India might face. Asserting that „everyone with the intelligence to contribute to math“ would be able to just “find a job” that would them also contribute to the field is completely detached from reality.

People working multiple jobs in the western world have some reason beyond "basic survival". Supporting other people, living in a desirable location, or like the vast majority of people they want to make enough money to go beyond basic survival because basic survival is low status. Which is why the idea that all we have to do is give people enough money for a basic survival lifestyle and they'll be happy and spend the rest of their time on things with perceived aesthetic value like math research is the insane take.

You’re leaving out the niceties like living in a neighborhood where you don’t wake up and see if your child is still alive every time you hear gunshots in the night. Or working a job that doesn’t risk your limbs or even your life if you make a mistake. Or working for someone who will not just fire you the instant you stop being able to work due to an on-the-job injury.

Most of these aren’t even new inventions; read about the working conditions in the 19th century.

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