Would You Work '996'? The Hustle Culture Trend Is Taking Hold in Silicon Valley (opens in new tab)

This isn't an assembly line. If you're tired, your work quality goes down. Your work pace goes down. And your life outside of work gets trashed.

So, no, I will not work 996. I won't because I have a life outside of work. And I won't, even for the sake of my work, because it won't actually help my work.

As an IC let's say I get 2 more features out a week or something (just random thing I selected that would seem productive), is that company more likely to be successful?

I'm inclined to think not.

At least when it comes to start ups (and others) the make or break moments isn't some extra widget(s) added to whatever they're offering, and I suspect that's all you get out of 996. Let alone questions about the quality of the widget...

And that assumes all this extra time IS productive, I've certainly worked places where management teams working extra hours were a net negative for all sorts of reasons...

996

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45149049

AI Startup Founders Tout a Winning Formula–No Booze, No Sleep, No Fun

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45221423

Real silicon valley works 24/7, only taking breaks to sleep.

The more people that work only 996, the better people can do who work 24/7.

Unless this means hourly wage workers. In which case, is that really "silicon valley" working? In which case, yes, web search show that generally California caps that at 72 hours/wk in general. So, 12 hours/day with 1 day off makes sense.

What is the fuss? People do what they sign up for. You don't like it, do something else, inventing the alternative if necessary?

I would do it if the rewards were good, if it was fun, or if I had to.