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> I do not get any sort of high from managing people.

> I don’t think anyone gets that same high from this role so this is hardly revolutionary. In fact, it’s one of the hardest adaptions to make when transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager.

The usual way to denounce managers as evil is to say they're all about wielding power over others. Wouldn't that be a counterexample? And the usual response to that is that managers are supposed to enjoy clearing roadblocks and getting everyone coordinated and able to be the best they can be; wouldn't that also be a counterexample?



First, let's assume that a manager is a good person who is sometimes forced to act in bad ways due to the system (not always true, but I'm not really going to waste time worrying about bad folks).

With that context, I think a manager can appreciate the good work they are doing (clearing roadblocks, being a shit umbrella) without getting the same kind of high as you get when you are delivering code.

Another way to think about it is that not every job has to be full of endorphin rushes; coders are just lucky.


Best kind of manager you can be is someone who helps your people grow.

And that's one of the best highs I've gotten in technical work: watching people around me grow and excel.


> not every job has to be full of endorphin rushes; coders are just lucky.

This is a tragically defeatist perspective. I don't want to live on a planet in which the working class are trapped in depressing exploitation.




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