Ask HN: Why do so few people work on important problems?

Re:Ask HN: Why do so few people work on important problems? by taurath on Thursday December 07, 2023 @02:50AM (#38553944)

Because important problems (to me, like hunger, health, shelter, etc) tend to cost money rather than make money. To me, most ventures nowadays are about making money more than solving big problems, because the problems have mostly gotten worse in my lifetime.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Why do so few people work on important problems? by HenryBemis on Thursday December 07, 2023 @07:17AM (#38555549)

Please allow me to rephrase..

I do what pays me the most to do. In 2020 I was running 4 interviews at the same time for 4 different companies: 1) medical 2) bank 3) IT services 4) engineering. All 4 were world-class/mega-big corporations. I got an offer from each. I went to the Bank. My heart was dead-set on the medical.. for real.. I was 'praying' they would make the best offer, or a second-best-by-5%-lower. The bank offered 20% higher than everyone, so Bank it is!

Idealism is good, but money is juuuust a little bit better (within the boundaries of morality and ethics)(I wouldn't trade heroin for 10x, but I would go to a big-pharma for 20% more).

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Why do so few people work on important problems? by EarthAmbassador on Saturday December 09, 2023 @04:17AM (#38580125)

And it is the choice of the money, over solving the problems that chasing money creates, that perpetuates our global disorder.

[ Parent | on HN ]