I had a conversation with someone about their burnout and their theatrical exiting of technonology sector to explore something new. We talked about their journey, and how I am on my 3rd burnout heading for my 4th at some point. I don’t think it is unavoidable, but that is another post. This one is about choosing to say within the machine, despite the lack of oxygen, nutrients, and care, as well as the recurring waves of people I know who head for the exits.
Let me share a little bit about how I see the world around me. It might help what I am saying make a little more sense. I see technology as big expansive digital factories and warehouses that have risen around us. I see images from Charlie Chaplin Modern Times or from Kurt Vonnegut’s Player Piano in my head when I make my way around the API space each day. Think of it as these big data centers rising up around us, only most people aren’t aware they exist. After living in these spaces for a while, the air becomes more toxic and less breathable, and eventually most people tend to need to head for the exits.
I see people head for the exits regularly. Some come back, but most tend to disappear and go back to some other earlier form of existence. I’ve headed for the door three separate times, but keep coming back. The money is too good. Plus the opportunity to keep my brain busy on large system problems is too valuable for my mental well being. I am not sure where I can find other system problems like this–of this scope So I tend to head back in after few months catching my breath and getting myself back to a manageable state. I can’t help myself, I feel compelled to stay within the machine.
I am looking for the stories in here. I am looking to share stories I’ve heard from people. I am looking to stay there for the stories about the people who work there. While I also learn how the system works, or doesn’t work. I am looking to document the bias in the system with my algorotoscope work. I am looking to stay up to speed on how the expansive warehouses and digital factories extractive operations spread around us. I am going to stay in the machine until I can’t. Then I will probably come back. I don’t think I can stay away. The sound of the machinery, and the stories from the people keep me coming back for more.
