Conversation

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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David R. MacIver

@DRMacIver

Jan 28

I suspect a lot of us who do this rapidly burn out on the lifestyle because it's really hard to do independent self-directed research, and if you're not careful it turns into a drifty malaise that draws one back to a more structured worklife.

David R. MacIver

@DRMacIver

Jan 28

I've really struggled with this myself, and am still struggling roughly five years in. I think I'm mostly on top of it, but I think it really needs a support network that I don't currently have to be sustainable, and most others also lack this.