4 ms·

That issue changed my view of GitHub, and related things. I'd seen a few animated gifs in other threads this past week, but it didn't really sink in until this.

That issue changed my view of GitHub, and related things. I'd seen a few animated gifs in other threads this past week, but it didn't really sink in until this. I used to hold scientists and programmers to a different standard than most normal people, because it seemed like a certain level of advanced understanding was necessary to build anything functional in those fields. But I've since realized that special ability does not carry over into all areas of life. It feels like seeing a ghost. I'm embarrassed to be registered with GitHub, and also to be human.

feelix 11y ago
Whenever I pictured the kind of person who posted reaction gifs to a thread, I imagined some 14 year old kid trying to be cool. Now, seeing this on github, I can only spend a few minutes clicking on the gif-poster's names and taking a glance at their code to see if they are actually mentally retarded or 14, and leave mystified and horrified.
- debrisapron 11y ago
  I'll take people who post reaction gifs over people who use "retarded" as an insult.
cdcarter 11y ago
> I used to hold scientists and programmers to a different standard than most normal people, because it seemed like a certain level of advanced understanding was necessary to build anything functional in those fields. This is a dangerous and wrong idea.
supernintendo 11y ago
> I used to hold scientists and programmers to a different standard than most normal people, because it seemed like a certain level of advanced understanding was necessary to build anything functional in those fields. I think you need to reevaluate the standards to which you hold people you know nothing about. GitHub is a free platform that anyone can post on, regardless of academic pedigree. Further, having specialized knowledge and being a troll are not mutually exclusive qualities. The humor of early hacker culture may have been more witty but it was nonetheless a means for programmers to take themselves less seriously [1]. > It feels like seeing a ghost. I'm embarrassed to be registered with GitHub, and also to be human. Maybe that's a sign you should get over yourself. [1] http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/ http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/
swift 11y ago
This is a serious question: what about enjoying memes, and humor in general, indicates a lack of "special ability"? I won't disagree that the stuff people have posted in that issue isn't funny. But honestly, I'd rather see that kind of thing than live in a world where people feel the need to treat everything (or even all technical things) seriously. There's enough darkness in the world without imposing more on ourselves.

feelix 11y ago

Whenever I pictured the kind of person who posted reaction gifs to a thread, I imagined some 14 year old kid trying to be cool. Now, seeing this on github, I can only spend a few minutes clicking on the gif-poster's names and taking a glance at their code to see if they are actually mentally retarded or 14, and leave mystified and horrified.

debrisapron 11y ago
I'll take people who post reaction gifs over people who use "retarded" as an insult.

cdcarter 11y ago

supernintendo 11y ago

> I used to hold scientists and programmers to a different standard than most normal people, because it seemed like a certain level of advanced understanding was necessary to build anything functional in those fields. I think you need to reevaluate the standards to which you hold people you know nothing about. GitHub is a free platform that anyone can post on, regardless of academic pedigree. Further, having specialized knowledge and being a troll are not mutually exclusive qualities. The humor of early hacker culture may have been more witty but it was nonetheless a means for programmers to take themselves less seriously [1]. > It feels like seeing a ghost. I'm embarrassed to be registered with GitHub, and also to be human. Maybe that's a sign you should get over yourself. [1] http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/ http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/

swift 11y ago

This is a serious question: what about enjoying memes, and humor in general, indicates a lack of "special ability"? I won't disagree that the stuff people have posted in that issue isn't funny. But honestly, I'd rather see that kind of thing than live in a world where people feel the need to treat everything (or even all technical things) seriously. There's enough darkness in the world without imposing more on ourselves.