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0 pointsmichaelteter14d ago0 comments

You are exactly right. Regardless of whether AI is better than a human or not is irrelevant if the bad, unqualified corporate leaders are making rash silver bullet decisions that cost workers jobs.

The problem is much broader though - consolidation of wealth and power have enabled, frankly, idiots to be able to control how the world works - from politics to business. Greed and stupidity is eating the world.

I don't see any solution. This is like a disease that will either eventually kill the body or take a long time to heal, leaving deep scars and forever changing humanity.

Maybe War Games was right - the only way to win is not to play. Therefore, find something you love (even if it doesn't pay well), and do that.

(I spent two years looking for a tech job. My 30 years of broad and meaningful experience is apparently not interesting to at least the 200 companies I applied to. So now I'm a teacher, and I'm quite happy.)

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zelphirkalt13d ago· 1 in thread

Written like you read my mind, honestly.

I have a mere 10y of experience, but also already looking for 1 year and also considering maybe I should become a teacher. Dealing with unruly children might be nerve wracking, and the tech level will be very basic, but I have always enjoyed enabling others to understand things and see them grow and having done my part in that. Also solid well taught foundations are very important. Currently, my only obstacle is, that it is not so easy to become a teacher where I live. Certain requirements kind of like certifications, that you can't just easily get, but need to invest a lot of time into.

Good to read of someone, who went that way. How did you manage the transition?

michaelteterOP13d ago

I started teaching 1-on-1 on Preply (computer science, programming, and even career guidance). I work with students from age 8 to 40. I've given over 200 hours of teaching there.

But recently I got my TEFL certification. Now I teach English in Bangkok. My students are high school, and they are fantastic people. Honestly I'm happier than I would have imagined. I only wish I had more time with each student, because they're all great in one way or another. To be more transparent, my school is one where students have to be top performers and compete to get in. So I'm not dealing with students who were like me when I was young ;).

I earn a fraction of what I earned in tech in the past, but it's enough to live with a modest buffer - and still actually enjoy life. I wish I had done this long ago.

Before I took this job, I spent a week teaching "computing" to grades 1-6. For various reason that wasn't a good situation and I left, but even those kids were pretty great. It's humbling to see what some motivated 6 year olds are capable of creating.

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