I can't write fizzbuzz in a few minutes on a whiteboard under interview conditions, but I've shipped multiple products over three decades. Several of them are f

I can't write fizzbuzz in a few minutes on a whiteboard under interview conditions, but I've shipped multiple products over three decades. Several of them are from 50% to 100% code written by me. The syllogism you're proposing overlooks some human variables. Interpersonal interaction tends to completely occupy my cognitive capacity, the moreso if the other person is a stranger, or if they are challenging me in some way (such as, for example, posing puzzles and evaluating the quality of my answers). I can't think about logical operations under those conditions. I require peace and detachment from human concerns in order to think that way. This is, of course, a personal quirk, or, if you prefer, disability, and nobody should have to bear the burden of it but me. But I've been an actual 10X programmer on a shipping product, as verified by DVCS statistics. I submit that as evidence that I can, in fact, code. I just can't do it in interview conditions. I also can't navigate while interacting with someone. I can drive just fine; I can operate a vehicle safely. I just can't navigate. Everyone in my close family is aware of this limitation. When my daughter was a teenager, she exploited this quirk for laughs. I have to admit, I thought it was pretty funny, too. In particular, I remember a pause in a conversation where I looked around and realized that I was parked at a Safeway in Capitola, California, and had no idea how I got there. My daughter and I both laughed when I realized what had happened. But if you want me to drive, and you want to reach a specific, predictable destination, you have to leave me alone to navigate. Similarly, if you want me to be a 10X programmer, or indeed any kind of working programmer, you have to leave me alone to do it. Maybe I'm not the only one. I won't argue that you should accommodate me, or people like me. Maybe you don't need us. That's okay. I've found other ways to get by--being hired by people already familiar with my other work, for example, or making my own products. It's maybe a less predictable career path than the usual, but it's worked so far. But for obvious reasons, I can't agree with your claim.