Work Passion Debate

Some people enjoy their work. It's not always 100% about the money.

Work on what your passionate about. Then it's not work.

I'd examine some of the assumptions underlying your post. Specifically, it seems like you want to find meaning in your work and to feel "at home in your job".The median reader of Hacker News is in a privileged position to be thinking about these things. In an ideal world, we'd all find fulfillment in our work. But for 90%+ of the world, a job is just a way to put food on the table for your family. Mark Manson is "living his dream job" and "still ha

Some people actually love what they do for "work".

I don't think you necessarily disagree with them. The issue is most people don't have the option to find a position that's a good fit. Or you find out the companies with a mission you're passionate about have a work culture that you're not.If you're only working places you're passionate about, you're really winnowing the field of possible employers. I say this as someone who's working at a company I generally respect and am passionate about the pro

I'd wonder a bit what enjoyment/passion that person gets from their work.Why can't someone just be a professional who generates value?

You say you envy them but I'm not sure you really do. Working without feeling involvement or purpose in what you do is mind-numbing. Of course lots of people have to endure it, and some find solace in hobbies/family. But if you are the type of person who always feel you have skin in the game, I don't think you'd last a month in a position where you don't care :-D

"It is sobering to see so many who have no love for their profession"I care about the goal, not the means - if the project is gonna save pandas/explore space, I am happy to dig for hours if that's what it takes.Most startups know this, thats why they are claiming to be 'changing the world', I've seen how that sausage is made, 95% of that is pure marketing BS.I find most work is just keeping the wheels of society spinning, taxes filed, tickboxes checke

Disregarding the conflation, I think the key point here is passion.I want to work with people who have passion for what they do. You don't have to keep doing it when you get home at the end of the day, but if all you're doing this for is a paycheck and you aren't really passionate about what you're doing, I find it impacts the quality of the output and the speed with which you absorb new information.

It's hard, spending the precious hours of your short life on things other than what you're really passionate aboutIsn't this true for the vast majority? Most people take jobs not because they're passionate about them, but because they need money to pay bills and buy stuff - simple as that. Some earn more, some earn less, but at the end of the day almost everyone would like to do something else. Even in IT, where wages are high and work is comfortable, I doubt most a