Ask HN: Do you ever want to work on something greater than your job?

Posted by taigeair on Monday April 13, 2015 @02:33AM
from the ask-hn dept.

There are lots of hard problems in the health field and I think technology can help but I find most jobs are about building web and mobile apps. At the end of the day, they add value by making our lives marginally better but there are so many harder challenges that sometimes I feel like I should be working on. Is this the same for you? What do you do about it?

( 8 comments | 7 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Do you ever want to work on something greater tha... by kleer001 on Monday April 13, 2015 @03:27PM (#9369823)

Not me.

And disagree if you like, but I've come to realize it's not my path. I understand that there are tons of clever, educated, privileged, and young people working on the problems that plague us. I have no plan of sacrificing the little bit of comfort and pleasure I've carved out in this world for the tiniest chance that one day something I did might add value to human kind.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Do you ever want to work on something greater tha... by ftchirou on Monday April 13, 2015 @04:30AM (#9366531)

I feel the same. I live in Africa and I have a deep intuition that technology can help improve people lives here, in particular in health and education fields. I really want to work on it but unfortunately I do nothing about it for the moment. I always have excuses to not try (for example: lack of basic infrastructure will make my ideas irrelevant, my ideas are dumb anyways, even if I build my ideas, there is no way somebody will use it, ...).

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Do you ever want to work on something greater tha... by taigeair on Monday April 13, 2015 @05:13AM (#9366637)

It just seems we are surrounded by job opportunities to make some sort of entertainment product or a slight better communication product or marketplace product...

But I can't seem to find job opportunities that seem to solve bigger problems.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Do you ever want to work on something greater tha... by penguinlinux on Monday April 13, 2015 @12:04PM (#9368406)

sad part is that some of us went to school thinking we would change the world for the best and what we do is actually hep companies sell more advertising, get more bullshit valuations, help them send dick picks that delete themselves.

I don't know what to do, i still have to feed my family, I can't imagine that i am the only one feeling this way.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Do you ever want to work on something greater tha... by mathgeek on Monday April 13, 2015 @01:24PM (#9368983)

> I don't know what to do, i still have to feed my family, I can't imagine that i am the only one feeling this way.

Feeding your family is something that's more important than most of the work you'll ever do in your life. Never forget that.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Do you ever want to work on something greater tha... by penguinlinux on Monday April 13, 2015 @02:15PM (#9369334)

that's the reason that keeps me working. I just focus on making sure my family is happy and taken care. Maybe one day when i retire i can get involved in more things that will actually will make a difference on other people's lives. I will try some volunteering this summer.

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Re:Ask HN: Do you ever want to work on something greater tha... by S4M on Monday April 13, 2015 @08:23AM (#9367188)

Well, I am taking some time off to work on my education startup magako (www.magako.com) in the field of maths education. It's something I am passionate about, both in the making of the product and the goal - improving maths education; but I am having troubles getting users :(

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Re:Ask HN: Do you ever want to work on something greater tha... by jtfairbank on Monday April 13, 2015 @02:01PM (#9369240)

Founded a health tech startup, so I've made my job that "something greater".

[ Parent | on HN ]