Why Is Everyone In Tech So Sad?

Sunday, August 09, 2026

A lot of people seem to be realizing that knowledge work is mostly pointless. AI might give us the pleasure of finding out what happens if an entire class of workers loses faith in their careers.

This disillusionment is infectious. One person speaks of it and others begin nodding: They too have felt it, the drop in motivation, the sense of being distant from their work, the lack of sleep, the concerns about the future.

These conversations inevitably turn to fundamental questions about careers: What the fuck are we actually doing? What the fuck is the point of all of this?

Posted by Corky at 01:03 PM | 14 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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It's a good read; starts out:

"On a recent morning commute, I sat on a train in one of those awkward four-person configurations with a shared table. Across from me sat a typical commuter: early 30s, slacks, dress shirt, dirty white sneakers, hair a little disheveled, AirPods in, basking in the glow of an open MacBook.

For over half an hour, I listened to this young man as he was on a call explaining, in painfully monotone detail, EBITDAs, margin expansion opportunities, cost structures, ARR, etc.

On and on he went until the screeching of the train's brakes signaled our arrival at the final station. But as everyone else around us began shuffling to disembark, I watched the man begin digging frantically through a leather bag at his side.

Intriguing! I wondered what he'd pull out. A copy of "Atomic Habits"? A framed portrait of Gary V? A Mac mini running OpenClaw?

None of the above. Instead, he took out two long knitting needles. Between them dangled a mound of pink yarn. He explained to me that he was making a winter hat for a niece. And for the first time that morning, I noticed a glint of pride and excitement in his eyes.

The hat was a project born from a desire, as he put it, to do something."

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-09 01:06 PM | Reply

The opening scene reminded me of Reginald Perrin on the train going to work doing mindless crossword puzzles... so I looked for a clip of that, but couldn't find it.

Found this instead:

www.youtube.com

which is funnier and perhaps more apropos

#2 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-09 01:17 PM | Reply

What the fuck is the point of all of this?

Posted by Corky

It all does seem more than a bit mindless.

Decide: is this life for the human race or for AI and the few that will profit from that profoundly stupid golem?

#3 | Posted by Zed at 2026-08-09 01:57 PM | Reply

What the fuck is the point of all of this?

Posted by Corky

Money. More money than you can possibly imagine.

Not for you and me. But for those who have access to the levers of power and the most powerful AI.

The millionaires and billionaires are raking it in right now.

#4 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-09 02:06 PM | Reply

" The millionaires and billionaires are raking it in right now."

That's why Trump said we're living in the greatest economy of all time.

Not for you, mind you. For him.

#5 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-09 02:13 PM | Reply

Not for he you, mind you. For him.

#5 | POSTED BY DANFORTH

Exactly. And anyone who will lie for him is eligible.

Hence all the lying liars and the lies they continue to tell. All just hoping to get some crumbs.

#6 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-09 02:18 PM | Reply

It's almost like the love of money is the root of all evil...

#7 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-09 03:02 PM | Reply

"Why Is Everyone In Tech So Sad?"

Probably it's because they're disrupting the fabric of society for profit, most of which goes to the billionaire class, and fuels fascism.

Just a guess.

#8 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-09 03:23 PM | Reply

It's almost like the love of money is the root of all evil...

#7 | POSTED BY CORKY

idk...

I saw this and it really is out there in terms of money and evil question, but its phrased so coarsely.

Chamath Palihapitiya recently returned to Stanford to aggressively remind students that capital is the ultimate amplifier of human intent.

We live in a world where pure intellectual merit is no longer enough to force actual structural change.

If you fundamentally want to disrupt broken systems you must first accumulate enough capital to become an undeniable threat.
Critics who complain about this intense focus on money completely misunderstand the basic physics of global power.
Sitting on the sidelines with superior morals accomplishes absolutely nothing while well-funded competitors actively shape the future.
As Chamath Palihapitiya explicitly stated in his original 2017 talk, "You have a moral imperative to get it and then use it to make a difference."
Capital is not inherently evil but rather a neutral weapon that simply scales the underlying worldview of its owner.

Stop apologizing for wanting to build massive wealth and start viewing it as the necessary ammunition for your vision.

Chamath to a room of Stanford MBAs: "get the fucking money. I'm serious."
he says capital is a moral imperative. the money gets made and allocated either way, so if you have a worldview and none of it behind you, your view doesn't compete.
"in the absence of capital, you're irrelevant. with capital, you're powerful."
x.com

Wild Times Americans ...

#9 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-09 03:43 PM | Reply

Probably it's because they're disrupting the fabric of society for profit, most of which goes to the billionaire class, and fuels fascism.

For the better?

Mackenzie Scott,of Bezos fame put 10s of Billions of profit in "fixing the fabric of society" ...

#10 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-09 03:45 PM | Reply

"Fighting fire with fire" - 1NuttyBuddy

"Fighting fire with fire" is widely considered an ineffective strategy because it generally escalates conflicts, erodes moral authority, and perpetuates the very toxic behaviors it seeks to stop.'

AI; at least smarter than Green Card Chinese.

#11 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-09 04:06 PM | Reply

"Fighting fire with fire" is widely considered an ineffective strategy because it generally escalates conflicts, erodes moral authority, and perpetuates the very toxic behaviors it seeks to stop.'

The alternative is to destroy what you have.

AI; at least smarter than Green Card Chinese.

If you think destroying America is smarter ... then by all means continue down your current path.

#12 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-09 04:26 PM | Reply

Spending money, as Mackenzie did on homelessness and food programs doesn't escalate any conflicts, it allows us to fulfill Liberal ideals.

Why do people bring up Jesus if, as you say its "fighting fire with fire", if you don't believe in what he preaches?

#13 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-09 04:28 PM | Reply

- The alternative is to destroy what you have.

The alternative is de-escalation of hostility by listening, understanding, and mediation as a first resort, not as a last one.

And what JC preached was: "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).

Paul wrote:" Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good".

SO, yet again, whatever you type is the polar opposite of the Facts.

- fulfill Liberal ideals.

Father, forgive him, for he know not what he says.

#14 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-09 04:47 PM | Reply