I've always thought that I could retrain myself multiple times in my life, and wouldn't suffer too much because of it. But the paths that I would've taken have changed as well: for example, I wouldn't feel as confident retraining myself for a designer-esque position, and I'm not sure whether I'd enjoy how those roles appear to be modernizing. This (seeming) lack of options seems to be a part of my low spirits.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of this particular article (as others have noted it reads like something an LLM wrote specifically for LinkedIn) but referring to the situation I find myself in as grieving is spot on for me.
I'm a 52 year old software developer that spent my entire career purposefully trying to avoid being pushed into management so I could remain a direct contributor because the craft of writing software has always been my favorite part of the job.
I'm still employed in the age of AI but what used to be more passion than job has flipped to be more job than passion because the chunk of it that I was most passionate about is rapidly being devalued. On one hand, I should be (and am) grateful that my job was ever something I was very highly passionate about as not everyone gets to experience that, on the other hand its hard not to grieve when you've had that luxury and feel it slipping away.
I think that if I were a younger person I'd probably be thinking seriously of finding something different to do with my life in terms of career, but at the same time I'm sure people in that situation are also struggling because AI is making the future very murky for almost everyone in terms of what they can do that they will both be passionate about and for which human input will continue to be valued.
Well, I'm 47 .. I've been a contractor for the past 8 years. I'm still (fairly) optimistic that I'll be able to find a permanent job, but the spring that fed my motivation is no longer flowing.
Maybe I need to spend some time finding myself and rediscovering what I want and need .. but I can't help feel pretty disheartened.
> He told me more than once why he chose us over other offers. We were a B2B SaaS company that helped healthcare technology companies bring safer products to market faster. That mission mattered to him [..]
Mate, come on. Modern corporate hellscape America forces people say stuff like this. He wanted the job because you pay him MONEY which is required to EAT and not DIE OF ILLNESS, because employment is tied to if you get to see a doctor without going bankrupt.
I'm not sure when all this mission nonsense came in, but it's daft when you see it parroted around something as beige as SaaS. It's fine to want to make something good and make some money from it, but you don't have to pretend it's some kind of moral quest.
I think if change was fast it'd be less painful. Dragging this out is what makes it so. LLMs being as unreliable as they are, and being gaslit about model capabilities every other week burns you out fast.
Stopped reading at that point. I guess I could go over the entire thing to discover what happened to that poor guy, but why bother if the author didn't put effort?
I dont think it is okay. If you spending 8-12h per week then you it needs to mean something. If you dont care, you are throwing away majority of your life without meaning.
It means I need the money and the employer needs the work.
I don’t think it’s okay either, but we were kind of spoiled that we enjoyed doing something that was in high demand. This isn’t the case for most jobs.
You can't retire without wealth and switching to the trades is not going to get you wealth in the time people are talking about (i.e. 10 to 15 years until retirement)
Then we need to redesign our entire economic system because none of it hinges on you enjoying your productivity to survive or reaping the rewards. Not saying I entirely disagree with you, just saying our economic system isn’t configured for the theoretical ideals you suggest. I’m not sure we can do that or the people with enough wealth and power to shift things would ever want to change these things.
Depending on the trade that may require reeducation, apprenticeship, and so on. Riding through years of that will be difficult for many if they are used to raising a family with full time pay or have only so many years before needing to face retirement.
Those who pay no attention to history are surprised when things change. It's the temporal equivalent of never leaving your home town. Very provincial. Then one day change comes and they're all shocked pikachu face.
I'm at a time in my life where I most probably have 15 to 20 years of gainful employment left in me.
Perhaps too little time to retrain; but definitely too much time to retire comfortably now.
A midlife crisis, coupled with an existential crisis.
I thought I had a clear route ahead. What do I do when everything I've learnt and dedicated myself to, is no longer valuable?