[BizarreByte]

A lot of us aren’t making average HN level salaries and many have a lot of responsibilities. Saving 50% simply isn’t feasible for most people, even in this industry.

It is not “trivially easy” to take a year off. It’s reckless.

[the_gastropod]

Everyone's situation is unique. For many, it may not be easy at all—you're right. But in the "average" case of the average software engineer in the US, if you value the option to take a year off, it is absolutely trivial to save half your income.

Let's just do some back-of-napkin math to prove my point. The average American software engineer makes $110,944 / year [1]. The median salary in the US is $54,132 / year [2]. That's less than half an average software engineer. In other words, most Americans—even if they spend every penny they earn—live on less than half of what an average software engineer makes.

So yes. On average, a software engineer should be able to save half their income and take off a year. Or hell, save 33% of their income, and take a year off after working two!

[1] https://www.indeed.com/career/software-engineer/salaries

[2] https://www.firstrepublic.com/insights-education/how-much-do...

[shortcake27]

So I think the issue is that people with more money are taking on more responsibilities (more expensive house / car etc). This makes it harder for them to take sabbaticals.

The mistake is when those same people then claim that someone making the same money without the same responsibilities is privileged.

It is a very odd position to hold. I’m not privileged just because someone else decided to take on the maximum amount of debt that was available to them.

[shortcake27]

Conversely, I am not privileged just because I don’t have the same responsibilities as you.

If you can’t take a year off work because you have a mortgage, debts, and a family to feed, that’s a problem you need to solve. However, assuming that I’m privileged because I don’t have those things in nonsensical. I live out of a very cheap car and my expenses are virtually zero. That is not a privileged position.

[BizarreByte]

> That is not a privileged position.

That depends on if it’s caused by poverty, or a choice you made despite having the means for a better situation.

Being able to take a year off work and not end up homeless is incredibly privileged, but by your own admission you’re already homeless, possibly by choice. Most people don’t want to live in a car.

[shortcake27]

> That depends on if it’s caused by poverty, or a choice you made despite having the means for a better situation.

There is a certain cost to living out of a car which is the same for everyone living out of a car. It is very cheap and attainable for almost everyone. This, by definition, makes it _not_ a privilege.

> you’re already homeless, possibly by choice. Most people don’t want to live in a car.

Absolutely, I’m homeless by choice, and you’re right it’s not for everyone. However, whether other people want to live in a car or not is irrelevant; if it’s attainable to almost anyone it’s not a privilege.