Ask HN: Anyone feel like they're just opting out of tech these days?
19 comments
I grew up to tech parents working tech jobs in the bay area starting from the late 70s. I used tech more in the past than I do today because none of it is for me, it's for companies to profit off me. It's not offering a solution, it's offering 'the first hit is free'.
No phone app has stayed useful long term as just a daily tool. Pricing changes. UI changes. I realized I am happy to incorporate tools into my routines, but not dynamically changing/attention requiring/maximal extraction from me apps.
Even the voice assistant has gotten worse over time to the point I gave up on it. I used to be able to trust it to set reminders, to turn off the lights after I got in bed. Neither of those I want to troubleshoot when they failed. Burnt food/getting out of bed. I'm just gonna stop using them.
For a hobby I fixed up a cheap old Jeep Cherokee. It fills that 'figuring something out' need tech hobbies used to. I do use my computer for music production but there's a lot of free as in free not 'the first hit is free to trap you in our bs' software for that.
No phone app has stayed useful long term as just a daily tool. Pricing changes. UI changes. I realized I am happy to incorporate tools into my routines, but not dynamically changing/attention requiring/maximal extraction from me apps.
Even the voice assistant has gotten worse over time to the point I gave up on it. I used to be able to trust it to set reminders, to turn off the lights after I got in bed. Neither of those I want to troubleshoot when they failed. Burnt food/getting out of bed. I'm just gonna stop using them.
For a hobby I fixed up a cheap old Jeep Cherokee. It fills that 'figuring something out' need tech hobbies used to. I do use my computer for music production but there's a lot of free as in free not 'the first hit is free to trap you in our bs' software for that.
Tech for its own sake is dull and pointless. Always has been. So are trends. In anything. Buy things that solve real problems you have; save money on the rest.
On the SWE side, if you don’t want to get out of software entirely find something to work on that isn’t just about tech. Find an aspect of the world that’s meaningful to you — maybe that’s biotech, maybe it’s plumbing — and build software that supports it.
On the SWE side, if you don’t want to get out of software entirely find something to work on that isn’t just about tech. Find an aspect of the world that’s meaningful to you — maybe that’s biotech, maybe it’s plumbing — and build software that supports it.
Technology is very cool and certainly has value in improving our lives. That being said, I have realized that I'm generally happier the less time I spend looking at screens. I opt for paper maps when I can. I read physical books. I'm just bored with nothing to do when I stand in lines. I don't really want to tech-ify stuff that much anymore.
A random example. They now make bird feeders with cameras and AI detection to tell you what type of bird you're seeing. But it's so much more satisfying to sit outside watching the bird feeder and then flip through a book to identify the bird. It's slower and old fashioned but it's a calm, satisfying thing to do.
A random example. They now make bird feeders with cameras and AI detection to tell you what type of bird you're seeing. But it's so much more satisfying to sit outside watching the bird feeder and then flip through a book to identify the bird. It's slower and old fashioned but it's a calm, satisfying thing to do.
I’m still very into tech, just not into tech products from the big companies. I use OpenBSD as a daily driver and I like reading its code when I want to understand how something work. This has led a renewal to my interest in Electronics, digital electronics and embedded. I also took some time to read “Operating Systems: Three easy pieces”, it’s quite nice to know that unless for performance reason, I could use decades old computers and be OK.
> My last home was filled with smart home tech and other stuff, now I live in a completely analog old home which is nice (and much smaller!).
"Tech" does not last. I like things that are durable and last. Solid hardwood furniture, a light switch that only closes a circuit and doesn't contain microchips, something built out of metal instead of plastic, etc.
I'll still buy new laptops and smartphones, but not "smart" things.
"Tech" does not last. I like things that are durable and last. Solid hardwood furniture, a light switch that only closes a circuit and doesn't contain microchips, something built out of metal instead of plastic, etc.
I'll still buy new laptops and smartphones, but not "smart" things.
The problem is that you are being a consumer, not a builder. You are over-spending on products that are designed to depreciate faster than they are worth. Other than RAM and GPUs these "tech" devices are worth less than they were a year ago.
Just build and sell things yourself.
Just build and sell things yourself.
Opting out of consumption = good
Opting into creation = good
Opting into creation = good
How is creating low value, quickly depreciating products good? The op implied this is all a scam, and the went on saying author should become the scammer instead of the victim.
>How is creating low value, quickly depreciating products good?
You might have better luck having a conversation without using a leading question.
You might have better luck having a conversation without using a leading question.
So my experience as a German high school student is kinda weird. I have been programming for 7 years now. It always was a sort of escape to me since it always felt like a sort of escape for me. Since everybody started using AI for everything, it just feels unreal and kinda changed. Not even in a bad way, but it went from a massive community of nerds and enthusiasts (which I loved being a part of) to a mixed community of people relying fully on AI slop to prove themselves to nobody with useless projects. That is my opinion please dont take it personal.
you seem like you are isolating yourself.
But as long as you replace all this with meaningful connections with people, groups, communities I think you will be much better for it.
But as long as you replace all this with meaningful connections with people, groups, communities I think you will be much better for it.
There are still fun things to do with tech, and stuff that won't enshittify — you just need to know where to look.
> I just don't care anymore, and I don't think it is because I got older... I got into tech in my mid/late 20s so I wasn't a born nerd like most of you guys tinkering with stuff since childhood.
I was tinkering since childhood and I was still tired of it pretty quickly. I always knew I do not want to work in software, but where the hell else was I supposed to go?
There was a thread the other day on RF engineering. There were a number comments describing it a “magic” or “sorcery”.
This is kinda how I felt about computers as a kid. I used to wonder about different types of software on my PC. “How does it possibly work”, “How could I make one”. It was this sort of curiosity. Over time, learning how the sausage was made, I just lost interest.
Nowadays I still find myself curious and inquisitive about how things work, just rarely software. Unfortunately most of the “magic” left in the world is a bit beyond my IQ level, such as the aforementioned RF stuff lol.
I was tinkering since childhood and I was still tired of it pretty quickly. I always knew I do not want to work in software, but where the hell else was I supposed to go?
There was a thread the other day on RF engineering. There were a number comments describing it a “magic” or “sorcery”.
This is kinda how I felt about computers as a kid. I used to wonder about different types of software on my PC. “How does it possibly work”, “How could I make one”. It was this sort of curiosity. Over time, learning how the sausage was made, I just lost interest.
Nowadays I still find myself curious and inquisitive about how things work, just rarely software. Unfortunately most of the “magic” left in the world is a bit beyond my IQ level, such as the aforementioned RF stuff lol.
I've done graduate level RF stuff for the same reason, but I'm here to tell you just like everything else once you learn it and its demystified, it won't feel like "magic" anymore. That doesn't mean it wasn't worth learning, it was just as interesting as learning all about computers. It's just that the magic will always be in the unknown, and once you know it you'll just want to know something else.
The good thing is it's unlimited and all reachable if you spend enough time. Currently my interest is in chemistry, for example, that stuff is a complete mystery to me
The good thing is it's unlimited and all reachable if you spend enough time. Currently my interest is in chemistry, for example, that stuff is a complete mystery to me
I think I understand what the OP is feeling. It’s not that RF is actually a difficult subject, but that it is hard to find the motivation to learn it something new.
At least, that’s the feeling I’ve gotten about a lot of things I wanted to do, it when I got around to it, couldn’t really be bothered to.
At least, that’s the feeling I’ve gotten about a lot of things I wanted to do, it when I got around to it, couldn’t really be bothered to.
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At some point in the last 5-6 years, I have pretty much adopted an opt-out view on tech.
I just don't care anymore, and I don't think it is because I got older... I got into tech in my mid/late 20s so I wasn't a born nerd like most of you guys tinkering with stuff since childhood.
The rate as products/services enshittify has intensified, and most products/services I use have so many issues that require workarounds, hacks, or just dealing with terrible UX.
I used to spend 10s of thousands of dollars on tech back then, like the latest stuff both software and hardware.
These days, I just use whatever free smartphone I get from Verizon for 2-3 years. When I look at old photos I can't really tell the difference between photos from my iPhone 7 and my iPhone 15 or whatever (I don't even know the model).
I bought a used M1 Max for $950 and I'm still using that, and I feel like this will work for me for another 3-5 years. I still use my beefy gaming/workstation with a 5950x and 128gb ram. I used to drop like $5k on a new mac..
I used to have Teslas and cool cars, I sold them all and just walk. I bought better shoes instead.
My last home was filled with smart home tech and other stuff, now I live in a completely analog old home which is nice (and much smaller!).
The only subscriptions I have now are Prime and Youtube.
I've tinkered enough with AI with 1b plus tokens spent to build loads of cool stuff, but if I'm being totally honest I feel like I now know its limitations and benefits. I don't really find it that interesting anymore because it sucks ass at image generation (what I actually want, regardless of # of iterations and time spent), reliably organizing notes, and stuff like that. It is great as a code slave but that is again boring when it doesn't work..
So what's next? Or do I just opt-out completely at some point like I've already started?