Conversation

Andy Matuschak
@andy_matuschak
This question's gauche, but: given the prevalence of $400k++ comp packages for ~30-year-olds in Big Tech, why aren't there lots more "gentle[wo]man scholars"? i.e. people quitting to do non-remunerative creative projects I can think of some, but shouldn't there be thousands?
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Andy Matuschak
@andy_matuschak
Yes, even those comp packages wouldn't permit this as a single earner with a family of four; some people have debt; etc. But I'd still expect more of this? Most people I know in a position do this tend to instead a) increase lifestyle; b) become founders; or c) become a VC.
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Jonathan Blow
@Jonathan_Blow
Replying to
@andy_matuschak
It’s a personality thing. The personality traits that suit one to get a college degree and then pretend to work at a job for 4 years mostly do not intersect with the traits required to jump out on one’s own and explore interesting things.
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Andy Matuschak
@andy_matuschak
That resonates. I didn't stick around Big Tech long enough to achieve this because I *couldn't* stick around long enough to achieve this… I truly like I was doing myself harm, each day.
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joe kim🗽
@joekim91
Replying to
@andy_matuschak
do you mean quitting after a few years of $400K comp? I think it is happening - non-insignificant portion of my peers in between jobs spending time doing things they love Often $400K isn't solely cash comp and thus requires some length of tenure (golden handcuffs)
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Simone Vincenzi
@svincenzi
Replying to
@andy_matuschak
I continued my academic research in math biology part-time—as a gentleman scholar—after I moved to industry. That is, I continued to do work with the intent to continue to publish. After 3-4 additional publications, I did not find it a good use of my time
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Simone Vincenzi
@svincenzi
What was my goal, I asked myself? Another paper skimmed, in the best-case scenario, by a few people? What were the chances of making a contribution that would make a difference in my field? Basically zero chances. I tried to involve others, since I had excellent data. Nothing
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iandanforth
@iandanforth
Replying to
@andy_matuschak
I'm going to go with housing prices and lifestyle creep. Also the gentle scholar has been replaced by the entrepreneur. It's frankly easier to raise money for an idea as a businesser than get published as an independent researcher.
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Hadjar Homaei
@xeegeex
Replying to
@andy_matuschak
i fit that profile; - last time I was not producing outputs for others. i was trying to understand and develop my theories of what's wrong w/ the web. - $2M annuity doesn't support my lifestyle + fund my projects - i don't know how to make money other than starting a venture.
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Hadjar Homaei
@xeegeex
not that i don't know the options; but most options depend on crafting a consistent public persona/brand, liming the ability to explore and distracting! i suppose some people are drawn to it and some people, like me, run away from it. maybe that's not very scholarly :-)
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