I would argue that both Brian W. Kernighan and Rob Pike are exceptionally bright individuals, and likely able to hold considerable more abstract complex thought

I would argue that both Brian W. Kernighan and Rob Pike are exceptionally bright individuals, and likely able to hold considerable more abstract complex thought in their heads than the average person. One of the bigger blindspots I find with exceptionally bright people is they have no concept of how their brains are capable of things that far exceed the capabilities of the average person. Or said another way, of course Brian W. Kernighan and Rob Pike think that thinking harder is better than experiencing and seeing. Because they can. #jmtcw