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A comment on What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?. Parent comment

Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by cm3 on Thursday April 28, 2016 @07:31AM (#11587968)
That's too simplistic of a view. Physical work is hard on your body, but mind work is equally hard and you cannot brute force most of it. The mind needs to process complicated problems asynchronously, while you let it rest by taking a walk or doing house cleaning, but physical work needs no such thing, as long as your body condition is sufficient.
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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by alex_hitchins on Thursday April 28, 2016 @08:18AM (#11588217)
Have you ever tried a hard, manual labour job?
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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by cm3 on Thursday April 28, 2016 @08:46AM (#11588370)
Yes, but not as a daily activity for long stretches (months), so my view may be incomplete.

EDIT: Not as a job, but working for weeks, daily on a personal project.

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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by pc86 on Thursday April 28, 2016 @10:11AM (#11588963)
There is absolutely no comparison between the person who has to work a manual labor job breaking their body down because it's the only way they can earn a living and the guy doing 2-3 weeks of physical labor because they have a personal project they want to finish.

I mean I can't even put into words how ridiculous this comment is.

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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by cylinder on Thursday April 28, 2016 @10:52AM (#11589277)
Have you worked an office job for years on end? They aren't exactly easy on your body, or soul, either. And trades have "executive" levels as well.

I'd rather be the Plumber for a skyscraper development than the accountant for it...

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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by pc86 on Thursday April 28, 2016 @12:57PM (#11590268)
Yes I have. And easy is relative. Of course my back is a little sore some days, and I've worried about carpal tunnel/RSI in the past. But if you're looking at manual labor (it's called "back breaking" for a reason), there's really no comparison.

Life is hard no matter what. We don't need to look at people who have it objectively much harder than us and say "but these florescent lights give me a headache" to try and make our lives seem harder than they are, just like we don't need to look at people who have it objectively much easier than us and say "they have so much money and free time they couldn't possibly understand how hard I have it."

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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by emodendroket on Thursday April 28, 2016 @09:57AM (#11588853)
Maybe a coal miner is the wrong example, but I think you can think of plenty of jobs you would not want. I certainly would not want to go back to working in a call center like I did in my previous life, even if the pay were the same or slightly better.
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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by jcadam on Thursday April 28, 2016 @11:04AM (#11589375)
If I could make the same money as a barista, I would do it, while continuing to program on my own as a hobby.

These days it's mind numbing Java CRUD services all day long, then I work on my own stuff (in any language but Java) at night.

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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by emodendroket on Thursday April 28, 2016 @11:08AM (#11589405)
Well, I can't argue with your opinion, but I certainly would not.
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