[justadeveloper2]

I have the same thoughts every July 4th. I ask myself 'what exactly am I celebrating here?' Our rights and freedoms seem heavily curtailed and most people have to work and are wage slaves in service of their debts.

I am debt-free, but have not yet managed to extract myself from this system. Health insurance is a big reason why.

Also, there are few part-time jobs that pay anything and although I have been attempting a career downshift, I can't find decent paying work. It's either I kill my body as a software developer and make decent money but work way too much, or I go be a $10/hr schmuck checkout clerk, I guess. I need that in between thing...but it's not there...on purpose.

[GhostVII]

> It's either I kill my body as a software developer and make decent money but work way too much

If you are a half decent developer, there are tonnes of good paying software jobs with decent hours, it's probably one of the easiest high paying jobs in the world...

I think what you are celebrating on July 4 is that you have free speech, and are in such a good position that you are actually trying to downscale your career from one of the best careers in the world.

[blacksmith_tb]

I agree overall, but I would say that in terms of your work killing your body, software dev is clearly much less destructive than, say, working in construction. But likely anything you do nonstop for hours on end is going to exact a toll. I am interested in what you think the purpose of the our system is - social control? Simple snatch-and-grab by the 1% ?

[coldtea]

Perpetuating itself and treating well those in power that treat it well.

Like any remotely complex systems, it's all about replicating and thriving itself.