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Don't be so quick to embrace your own ignorance.
- mattmaroon 18y agoI think the "for dummies" is both humorous (as much so as a how-to book can be) and descriptive. It's good to embrace your ignorance, that's the only way to cure it.
- ph0rque 18y agoI always felt that "for people too busy to spend years" on the subject at hand would be a more apt description.
- mattmaroon 18y agoToo long, and lacking any sort of self-deprecating humor.
- stcredzero 18y agoThe "Been Too Busy For [X]" books would probably sell well to pointy-haired boss types who have big egos and just want the "10,000 foot view."
- felixc 18y agoI always get a laugh out of the "Income Tax For Canadians (for Dummies)" whenever I am at the bookstore. It's just a regional version of a generic book, but the "for Dummies" part is in a pretty small font.
- comatose_kid 18y agoThis kind of ties in with pg's essay on amateurs. aside: pretty funny how dhh marks trolls in his comments - a dunce hat with 'troll' written on it. Ouch.
- ashu 18y agoHeh, that's very clever. Although one wonders if the trolls feel like they have been vindicated in some way (by being able to draw attention!)
- LogicHoleFlaw 18y agoI rather like the "disemvoweling" used over on BoingBoing. It's a good balance between just deleting trolls and giving them too much attention. The color fading used on HN is a good technique too.
- stcredzero 18y agoDisemvoweling tends to pique my curiosity. I'd like to puzzle out what's said and see what they were disemvoweled for. I think the color fading is a better technique for this reason -- there's no mystery, only muting.
- swombat 18y agoI never bought any of these Dummies books, for a similar reason. I don't think I'm a dummy, or an idiot, and I take it as a personal insult. If you want to sell a book to me, don't call me an idiot. Yes, I know it's just a joke, but to me, it's a poor, insulting, and, most of all, an idiotic joke. Perhaps the authors think of themselves as idiots. Why should I read them? I'd much rather buy from a "For smart people" series. It's a shame no one publishes that.
- gaius 18y agohttp://www.amazon.com/Joe-Celkos-SQL-Smarties-Programming/dp/1558605762 http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Celkos-SQL-Smarties-Programming/dp... It's socially acceptable, even desirable, to lack technical skills. Witness the number of people who will happily proclaim they're no good at maths or whatever. Western culture (presently) doesn't value effort or accomplishment - you're supposed to succeed "just for being you", like a reality TV star, pop idol, etc. History will not reward this decadence.
- pongle 18y agoI see a new business plan forming!
- deleted 18y ago[deleted]
- LogicHoleFlaw 18y agoWhile there are probably plenty of geniuses out there, most of the interesting people I’ve talked to are of average intelligence, but above-average aspiration. Stop believing in the myth of triple-A people as a different kind. Whenever I start feeling frustrated on some endeavor of mine, I try to pause and remember this principle.