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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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alice maz (in lisbon)

@alicemazzy

Jan 28

because a lot of the people there weren't planning for it. they wound up there by doing what they were supposed to well enough, so they keep going until they burn out and quit in disgust to "find themselves"

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Andy Matuschak

@andy_matuschak

Replying to

@alicemazzy

This explanation rings more true than many!

2:02 AM · Jan 28, 2022Twitter Web App

Replying to

and

Have kind of been thinking for years of offering semi-structured support for tech early retirees to find enjoyable, useful, challenging projects. Lots of near misses in this space

Andy Matuschak

@andy_matuschak

Jan 28

You have been very helpful to me, David. :)

Replying to

and

This outcome is what you would expect many people in big tech companies got there by following the rules and optimizing for preserving optionality. There's a good description of this idea in Zero To One:

Replying to

and

Also, much of that total comp is tied in in equity that's vesting over a period of time, and that they lose if they quit to go do some Walden goofin. Few are being handed $400k cash per year.