Software and more broadly IT are soul crushing jobs though, practitioners seem to get upset when that's pointed out but it's still true. Very few other jobs require the always on mentality that comes with IT work. Other folks typically show up, do their jobs, and leave. Very few folks in software/IT are able to have that type of relationship with their work. Maybe it isn't personally draining for you, but it is a very mentally taxing career path overall. This seems to get lost in the broader perspective because a lot of IT practitioners like this type of lifestyle, it doesn't change the fact that it's demanding and I think we can do better in regards to recognizing that as an industry. This also doesn't come across as dismissive to me either, every job has its inherent challenges and we should take time to reflect and recognize the ones present in our own careers.
It is very demanding and that needs to be said, but I don't like positioning it as more demanding than other careers. People do a lot more for a lot less money. And people do a lot more for the same amount of money. Every individual should decide what trade off is best for them, but if someone enjoys programming and are good at it, it could potentially be better that they find a way to balance it in their lives rather than writing it off completely.
> Other folks typically show up, do their jobs, and leave.
I don’t really buy this. When I was in kitchens, I used to agonize over the injustices done by the more psychopathic coworkers/bosses, not to mention the nightmares like you see in some episodes of The Bear. I would also often think about how to improve some situation going on, like kitchen/station layout, workflows, inventory, etc.
My wife works in psych and often ruminates on her patients, trying to figure out some thing about them long after she’s done seeing them for the day. And also the same story as me with psychopathic bosses.
I’m sure there are just people who genuinely care and then people that don’t give a fuck in any given field. I know I’ve run into plenty of both all across society.
I will agree that there is a unique aspect to the mental distress caused by industry software work though, although I don’t want to spill the ink required to elaborate on that here.
