I’ve met at least two developers living that life. One worked for a big German corporation. Sometimes he wouldn’t have any work to do for weeks. He got the authorization to work on a hospitality exchange network while in the office. Another one knew how to live on little money. He lived in squatted houses and was an adept dumpster diver. His lifestyle cost him one day of paid work per month. The rest of the time was spent volunteering code, among other activities.
I was deeply inspired by these lifestyles, but it turns out not working for a boss doesn’t fit my personality. I’m too much in need for social validation. Work and suffering are a religion where I live. Programming makes me mostly anxious and I need to be surrounded with colleagues to get comforted. Consumerism is also a religion. I have a hard time being surrounded with people who are able to indulge in consumption while I’m not.
Hey, do either of them have a blog? I'm interested in these lifestyles, especially the dumpster diving dude. My wife wouldn't let me squat or dumpster dive but I could always live vicariously through him.
He used to have a blog but no longer writes on it. There was quite an active community around Trashwiki but I haven’t had a look at it in a while. There’s also a dumpster diving subreddit, but it’s centered around finds rather than lifestyle.
I can relate to the vicariously living through reading part of your message, I love coming across people who share their alternative lifestyle!
I was deeply inspired by these lifestyles, but it turns out not working for a boss doesn’t fit my personality. I’m too much in need for social validation. Work and suffering are a religion where I live. Programming makes me mostly anxious and I need to be surrounded with colleagues to get comforted. Consumerism is also a religion. I have a hard time being surrounded with people who are able to indulge in consumption while I’m not.