sorry if I'm rambling, but I find this a very interesting topic... not just because I indulge in this, but because it's becoming more and more common and I can only see it as self destructive. What good is a creative outlet that forces you into burnout? Why does the hacker mindset look for ways to cheat around the obviously unsustainable lifestyle? Is it pride? being a perfectionist? simple delusion that the system is geared to reward those that over-invest their energy?
I can see myself falling off a damn rocky road any day now, and it's got me thinking: why was it that I couldn't get to the same place using an easier route? Money? is that it, does it all boil down to simple investment? most hackers aren't backed by anything more than their determination and a vision that simply must be realised .... but that's Obsession!?
/me stops having a mini-breakdown
You gave the exact answer I was expecting, but I'm not convinced this suffices. It /IS/ an obsession... my late night coffee binges are the stuff of legend (mostly because I rely entirely on natural stimulants when my other friends take more unorthodox steps to maintain.... "consciousness")... but WHY is this so? My stimulated friends are there for the simple pleasure of being wrecked on particular drugs, does the brain of a hacker/creative entrepreneur expect a similar payout? you mentioned being motivated by money... so by breaking (or taming?) the natural rhythms of sleep, does one invest some abstract personal commodity in the hope of future security? What could motivate this?
[ASIDE: notice that I'm trying to _START A DISCUSSION_.... voters/recent posters would do well to take that into consideration as for some reason it has been overlooked of late]