As a programmer, I’d just tell them “I configure contraptions to perform tasks for people”
“You know how clockwork automatons work?”
“No.”
“Me neither.”
Magic. Got it.
"Some other guys figured out how to trick rocks into doing stuff by putting lightning into them
I just write to the rocks instructions for how to do some work. I get paid for doing that."
If anyone has any idea on how to explain generative AI to someone from the 1700s, let me know. Maybe we can try explain my job then.
A machine that draws pictures/writes stories. In a way, it’s easier than the more abstract computer related jobs, because its output it, on a high level, similar to that of a human.
We discovered god. There’s your explanation.
Turns out he loves anime tits.
Teaching sand how to think like a human
I’m just going to call myself an artist of new media types and end it there.
i’m teaching silicon rocks how to think
Hell no
I test and design massive industrial electrical systems used in steel mills, power grid distribution, space equipment, coal mines, oil & gas, etc etc etc.
They didn’t even figure out electricity at the time
I’m a programmer. I think I would explain it as creating and operating mechanical contraptions that help students find books to read and help them write new works and send them to professors. I work at a university and that is basically what our program does.
I give people rides in my horse and buggy in exchange for cash and sometimes barter.
You could actually do better, I think. You drive a carriage for hire, but It’s equipped with something like a (fire powered) water wheel so it doesn’t need horses.
True. My creativity doesn’t come out with story telling like this. My creativity is more of the MacGyver type.
That’s probably for the best. When’s the last time this situation came up? Haha.
I (programmer and team leader) get requests from the king (management and project manager) and pass them to the peasants (code monkeys), clean after their shit (QA and code review). I get peanuts in return while the king keep most of the loot.
I get peanuts in return while the king keep most of the loot.
Well, at least this part hasn’t changed.
Bob: “why can’t the king just ask the peasants directly?”
I’M A PEOPLE PERSON!!!
I’M A PEASANT PERSON, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU NOBLES, WHY CAN’T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT
Ah, so you’re the
grand viziercourt jester.That definitely define my everyday job experience.
The project manager is your peer, not your king.
It all depends on the project and the team. On some, you work with and along the PM and all is good, and other times you get dictated unconnected requests that you need to fight or ignore.
Thankfully I’ve only ever worked in the first environment.
Lucky, my first 2 dev jobs had PMs that were right out of college business majors with zero web development experience. They were just direct unfiltered conduits between the clients and devs, but with a layer of telephone game and almost no ability to day no to the clients.
It was a fucking nightmare. By the time I did get a good PM, I was pretty much burned out and started my own consultancy (since I’d been managing a small team and doing both dev and PM’s job by then anyway).
I think my job would be understandable at a basic level. My job involves healthcare, which has massively changed since the 1700s, but the basics are still there and would likely make sense to people.
I look at organs to find and document disease.
“So how do you guys get used to tasting piss so often?”
Anatomical pathologist
Close! But I don’t have big enough brains or the paycheck to match lol. You could think of me as a glorified human butcher…far more crude than a surgeon. The pathologist gets the end result after all the blood and guts are out of the way haha. (Unless you’re a forensic pathologist…they slug around in guts all day!)
How do you get into that line of work??? Not because I want to, just morbid curiosity. I’m too squeamish.
Haha. Believe me I actually used to be very squeamish as a child. I still am as an adult with certain things…I nope the hell out of there for human vomit (altho it weirdly doesn’t really bother me with dogs and cats).
Dunno how it went away…I guess just slowly over time as you get exposed to more and more things. Plus I work in an incredibly well ventilated space, which cuts the grossness factor of any of it down by like 95%. You’d be surprised at how much smell influences your idea of “gross”, at least for me. And then if I am a bit grossed out by something, I can freely comment on it and laugh about it with my coworkers because I don’t have to worry about sparing a patient’s feelings…I only get the organ. I had a brief period of time in school where I had autopsy training…man I could NOT stand the smell and I almost threw up before because I tried to toughen it up and breathe through my nose. Big mistake! Idk how anyone can get used to smells like that. Mouth breathing only for me in that environment.
Anyway, my role is played by different people with different educational backgrounds depending on what country/region you’re in. Here in the US, my job requires a 4 year bachelor’s degree in basically any field… doesn’t really matter as long as you take basic science classes. From there, you enter a specialized 2 year master’s degree program. It’s similar to physician assistant school except we are paid a bit less (but with the advantage of not having to see patients). Our first year is book learning and our second year is hands on training on how to perform the job.
I was always interested in medical things, but I always hated having to interact with patients. This also allows me to work with my hands and see first hand the actual effects of disease. Cancer is no longer some mysterious, nebulous concept. I can see it with my own two eyes and feel it with my hands. Plus the paycheck is pretty stellar imo…not a doctor salary or anything, but I’m living comfortable as a single adult.
If it at all seems interesting, I’d encourage you to try to investigate more. I am generally hesitant to say my exact job title in public for fear of being doxxed (it’s a small field), but I’m always happy to share more with anyone over a DM.
Just wanted to say that I found the description of your job really interesting, so thanks for taking the time to write about it.
There’s absolutely no way that I could do it - I’m far too squeamish. But I’m glad that there are people who can do a job like this, which increases mankind’s understanding of diseases.
Hey thanks haha
That was super fascinating! Thank you so much for taking the time to explain!
A witch!
Let’s toss them in a lake! If they die they weren’t a witch! If they don’t… We then know they are a witch!
Either way… Huzzah!
We have found a witch, may we burn her?
Ah, a barber!
So basically we have these extremely powerful but terribly stupid machines that can basically do anything as long as you know how to talk to them and tell them exactly how to do what you want them to do. I’m that guy who talks to these machines and make them do what people want.
I tell my users it’s magic. My job is to be a wizard. When I write new programs it’s coming up with a new spell.
Mine’s pretty easy- I’m a bard!
Username does NOT check out.
Unless you multiclass
Lmao good point, not an effective sounding multi class but sounds fun as hell
The only question I’d have for a druid / bard is, “You holding?”
Merchants have become so powerful that I, a serf, have been taught number solely to account for every penny they make. For this, I’m allowed to live an okay life. I do it with magic (Excel) because they are so big and don’t want to hire many of me. They still act like the Dutch and East India Companies, with slightly fewer atrocities.
We have these things that are like stained glass books and I make how the glass looks.
Front-end developer.
I’m a “blacksmith” using advanced machinery to aid in the process.
They had pretty good clocks already, so maybe you could describe it in those terms.
I fit suits and make custom clothing for people for a fine mens clothes store. That’s been around forever.
