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> when someone is attaching their name - and by extension their reputation - to their words they automatically have something to lose by saying it. Why is why
by prodigal_erik 16y ago
> when someone is attaching their name - and by extension their reputation - to their words they automatically have something to lose by saying it.
Why is why I never say anything even slightly controversial for the record under my True Name. I don't know about you but I rely on getting food and shelter by negotiating with other members of a nosy, judgmental, sometimes irrational species.
http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html http://www.paulgraham.com/say.html
- jacquesm 16y agoSo do I, but I'm not at all worried about saying controversial stuff. Essentially you are saying that you are self-censoring.
- Vivtek 16y agoYes, that is exactly what he's saying, and moreover he seems to think he has reason to do so.
- prodigal_erik 16y agoJust for example, if a potential employer running a PHP/MySQL shop could easily look up my opinion of their chosen tools, most would only hire me as a last resort if at all. Those tools are still popular enough that I would never bet my career on being able to avoid them indefinitely. (I'm more candid with my current manager now that we trust each other, in fact his views are stronger than mine.) And that's without even getting into political views like IP law, or whatever the hell future landlords or neighbors might object to....