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Small-Scale Question Sunday for February 8, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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I think I have a better grasp on empirics of the world than the median mottizen.

Idk you seem to be struggling with the concept of pedigree and large interview sample size. I'm not sure anyone I know who is smart fails to understand the concept of a social/meritocratic signals in the form college pedigree, credentialism, etc. You seem pretty pissed about it.

I'm 95th %ile income for my age

This is not hard, depending on how young you are. $250k in the Bay area for a 30 year old is 97th percentile and is a starting salary for any SWE of that age and commensurate experience. I was apparently 93rd percentile a couple years back, and I'm not a money chaser and I don't live in the Bay.

I think I will be in 5 years, given my intelligence and track record

Good luck, however understanding the lay of the land will be important. I think this thread has some good advice when it comes to the fact that a large percentage of the population in our culture wants to be rich and many of them are quite smart. Degrees like quants are actively setup to winnow out people, and many times to winnow out those who lack the requisite class markers like a ivy league school or advance degrees. If you really want to be rich, and are as smart as you seem to think you are, then the easier route is to be a startup founder.

Idk you seem to be struggling with the concept of pedigree and large interview sample size.

"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist." I'm not struggling, I'm criticizing from a position of intuitive mastery of the fundamentals. Someone who hasn't mastered the basics misinterprets that as "wrong" or "dumb."