4 ms·

But that's my point; maybe prison reform isn't actually all that hard, and only appears that way from an insider's perspective. I'm refuting the article's pess

by Laaw 11y ago

But that's my point; maybe prison reform isn't actually all that hard, and only appears that way from an insider's perspective. I'm refuting the article's pessimism by explaining the concept that innovative ideas often come from the perspective of an outsider who isn't thinking like the folks who created the problem think. It's a significant part of start-up culture, isn't it, the theory of disruption? This article resonates because of how easy it is to be pessimistic and critical of new ideas, and everyone here is an expert at it.

wfo 11y ago
No, prison reform is that hard. Same with FGM in Africa. The key component of these issues is that they are cultural problems. Entire cultures of people do not see them as problems at all or want them to be fixed. To fix them quickly you need to restructure and redirect an entire culture in the blink of an eye. Which is something brilliant people have been trying and failing to do for thousands of years of human history. You've highlighted quite well why startup culture has never successfully solved a sociopolitical problem; startups are a flash in the pan and real issues take longer than its shelf life to solve. I'm all for optimism but thinking you're going to solve a real social problem to, say, 'disrupt homelessness' by writing an iPhone app is the height of tech-infused naive narcissism. Using tools which are wholly unsuited to the job and expecting quick and easy solutions without years of hard work when the problems you are facing are genuinely difficult is not optimism. Nothing about the article was pessimistic. Rather it is optimistic. It is a gentle suggestion to people who want to fix the world that as tempting as it is to look far away, where the issues are clear and crisp from a distance, you should consider starting closer to home, because you'll find the problems are equally as difficult but you don't have to learn an entirely new language and mode of existence before you begin.
- Laaw 11y ago
  I'm getting the sense we both understand each other, even if we disagree, which is really all I can hope for on the Internet, in the limited space and time we're given to talk about issues on HN (the "reply" button disappears for a reason). If nothing else, I found the article particularly interesting, given it's anti-"flash in the pan" (as you call it) mantra, for this specific (startup oriented) audience.
munchbunny 11y ago
The nuance you're getting at seems to be the statement: "Doing X is not actually as hard as everybody thinks it is, which is why nobody else is trying, and there's an opportunity." But that's different in important ways from: "Why can't you just do X?" Because in most cases you're not "just doing X", you're attempting X knowing that it'll be hard, but you're pretty sure that it's not doomed to fail like everyone else thinks it is.

by Laaw 11y ago

wfo 11y ago

No, prison reform is that hard. Same with FGM in Africa. The key component of these issues is that they are cultural problems. Entire cultures of people do not see them as problems at all or want them to be fixed. To fix them quickly you need to restructure and redirect an entire culture in the blink of an eye. Which is something brilliant people have been trying and failing to do for thousands of years of human history. You've highlighted quite well why startup culture has never successfully solved a sociopolitical problem; startups are a flash in the pan and real issues take longer than its shelf life to solve. I'm all for optimism but thinking you're going to solve a real social problem to, say, 'disrupt homelessness' by writing an iPhone app is the height of tech-infused naive narcissism. Using tools which are wholly unsuited to the job and expecting quick and easy solutions without years of hard work when the problems you are facing are genuinely difficult is not optimism. Nothing about the article was pessimistic. Rather it is optimistic. It is a gentle suggestion to people who want to fix the world that as tempting as it is to look far away, where the issues are clear and crisp from a distance, you should consider starting closer to home, because you'll find the problems are equally as difficult but you don't have to learn an entirely new language and mode of existence before you begin.

Laaw 11y ago
I'm getting the sense we both understand each other, even if we disagree, which is really all I can hope for on the Internet, in the limited space and time we're given to talk about issues on HN (the "reply" button disappears for a reason). If nothing else, I found the article particularly interesting, given it's anti-"flash in the pan" (as you call it) mantra, for this specific (startup oriented) audience.

munchbunny 11y ago

The nuance you're getting at seems to be the statement: "Doing X is not actually as hard as everybody thinks it is, which is why nobody else is trying, and there's an opportunity." But that's different in important ways from: "Why can't you just do X?" Because in most cases you're not "just doing X", you're attempting X knowing that it'll be hard, but you're pretty sure that it's not doomed to fail like everyone else thinks it is.