Introduction#
This article is a record and reflection on life from 2025-07-09 to 2025-07-21.
2025 has truly been a remarkable year; it seems that many events that should have happened over a long life have concentrated in this half year, such as getting married, going on a honeymoon, and experiencing my first layoff.
In terms of results, it wasn't too surprising, but there is still some sentiment, sadness, and confusion.
The Collapse of a Technological Utopia#
A few days ago, I went to the Apple Store at West Lake to replace my Mac battery and chatted with the staff member who was assisting me. He said:
"I haven't seen someone use their device this intensively in a long time. Usually, people from Hikvision or Alibaba come to replace theirs after about three years, and you've only used yours for less than two."
Reflecting on this, it represents my two years at RSS3, which has brought me much from various dimensions.
This is my second job, and I discussed my experiences working remotely here in "Weekly Report #58 - A Year of Remote Work." In my birthday summary, "A 27-Year-Old's Confession: Growing Up is Quite Disappointing," I felt I had found that subtle point between the moon and sixpence. Even my wedding became a team-building event where many colleagues met for the first time, not to mention the enhancement of my technical skills and vision from spending time with many creative colleagues.
Until last weekend, I learned that the entire R&D team, including myself, was almost disbanded, which I found out while meeting colleagues in Shenzhen.
To be honest, it wasn't that surprising. The company has changed directions quite a bit in the past six months and is no longer able to pursue projects that, while valuable, are known to be unappealing to the market. The on-chain data indexing project that our team spent two to three years refining has also been halted due to various reasons, including server budget constraints.
Although I haven't worked at many companies, I've met quite a few developers over the years and learned about the industry's various aspects. Recently, I heard a term called "Hacker-friendly culture," and I think RSS3 is the best interpretation of this. Everyone is filled with technical enthusiasm and a strong belief in the cause they contribute to, with ample freedom and enough creativity.
Therefore, upon learning this outcome, I felt more regret, like the collapse of a utopia composed of technological idealists, disappointment in the Web3 environment, and disappointment in this world. I don't know when such a team can be gathered again, nor do I know if there will still be a place for people like us in this industry or even in this world.
Looking at the computer undergoing hardware testing, the staff member asked me:
"Are you satisfied with the value this computer has brought you over the past two years?"
I was silent.
In terms of the computer alone, it is certainly worth far more than its cost, but what about me over these two years? I'm not sure.
The projects I worked hard on have all been abandoned; did the countless days and nights I endured really have meaning? I'm not sure.
The staff member said it would take about two to three days to notify me to pick it up. I handed it to him without hesitation, which is probably the first time I've really felt at ease leaving my computer untouched for such a long time. Even during my honeymoon in Japan, I carried it with me, fearing I would miss something important.
But I'm tired now; it’s fine as it is.
Confusion and Restarting Life#
The company provided reasonable compensation within legal limits, enough for me to take some time to think about what to do next. Coincidentally, my computer is still being repaired at the Apple Store, so I decided to use this time as a period of emptiness.
Originally, I wanted to clarify my thoughts and consider what I should do in the future, but in reality, it turned out to be more confusing than I imagined, even a bit disoriented. The feeling of being able to ignore Slack messages and a fully packed schedule is somewhat indescribably empty.
I wasn't psychologically prepared to immediately start a new career, and it seems I haven't found that idea I want to fully invest myself in as a freelancer, leaving me in a dilemma.
It was my senior who reminded me that I could do some things I previously couldn't due to time constraints. After thinking for a long time, I submitted a volunteer resume to "One Village School," a public welfare organization for educational assistance (see Saka's article "Talking about Public Welfare and Educational Assistance").
Two years ago, I applied for a short-term internship with them and had a conversation, but I wasn't selected due to my full-time job's time constraints. In the following years, it was also difficult to spare ten days in the mountainous areas with unstable internet. Now, perhaps it is the right time.
I had a long phone interview/chat with them and decided to volunteer with them in some time during September, October, and November to visit students and select a new batch of beneficiaries in Huize County, Yunnan. During the visits, I might also be able to secure suitable donation opportunities.
Conclusion#
I think, compared to the elusive ideal of decentralization, I now want to get closer to and help specific people.
Restarting life in this way seems quite good, and as for the more distant future, perhaps I still need some time to think.