Pay vs Job Enjoyment

The cluster discusses the trade-off between job satisfaction and compensation, debating whether loving one's work justifies accepting lower pay or if workers should demand fair market value regardless of passion.

📉 Falling 0.3x Career & Jobs
5,077
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#4008
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
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Keywords

Snowdrift.coop WFH OK MJ i.e SC pay paid money love work job doesn pay rewarding enjoy worth love

Sample Comments

kzrdude Jun 19, 2022 View on HN

If you're a valuable worker, go find a place that does more to you than pay :)

seanmcdirmid Sep 19, 2019 View on HN

I don’t want to be into my job for the money. It is just a necessary byproduct of doing work I otherwise enjoy.

nomel Jul 31, 2025 View on HN

It's nice to get paid to do what I would be doing anyways.

dochtman Sep 23, 2022 View on HN

Find a job with similar pay but a goal you care (substantially) more about?

matheusmoreira Jun 10, 2022 View on HN

I've decided that enjoying my life is better than making less $/h than I'm currently worth. I'll only accept more work if it pays more than that. My goal is to constantly maximize that figure.I could accept all jobs regardless of pay and make more money by working at all times but that suffers from a serious case of diminishing returns. It's harmful for my self-worth and self-respect when I put in extra effort to make less than what my time is worth. So I just do noth

airhead969 Mar 30, 2021 View on HN

Find another field where you're happier. Chasing money isn't worth it.

philliphaydon Jun 14, 2022 View on HN

I would rather get paid less and enjoy my job than wake and not want to get out of bed. But that’s just me. Only live once so want to enjoy life.

watwut Jan 19, 2014 View on HN

I love my work. I do not believe it is a good reason to pay me less and pocket the difference. The chances are that I will love work in other company too.

underdeserver May 6, 2025 View on HN

These people are comfortable collecting a paycheck despite providing little value. I'm not.

PaulHoule Feb 4, 2022 View on HN

If I understand this: you like your work but you feel ‘exploited’ because you are not paid enough, right?