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You were supposed to expect them to fail his interview because he didn't give the "right" answer (manhole covers are round so they can't fall in the hole). Inst

by cacois 5y ago

You were supposed to expect them to fail his interview because he didn't give the "right" answer (manhole covers are round so they can't fall in the hole). Instead, he completely disagreed with the "right" answer, but did so in a way that was incredibly convincing. So, they decided his primary value was not in his intellect (leading him to a job in engineering), but in his ability to convince people of things (leading him to a job in marketing).

ThePadawan 5y ago
I did follow the "intended" vs. "right" subtext right until the punchline. I also at no point got the impression that this fictional Feynman was very convincing, charming or anything like that. Just a bit of a talky wise-ass, really. Obviously he knows his stuff, but he's not direct enough to just say that outright, he tries to lord his intellect over the interviewer. So I really wasn't sure what the punchline ("let's hire you in marketing") was all about. Is the interviewer saying this guy is a bad engineer since he doesn't get to the point? That he's a good marketer because he can talk lots and lots of bullshit? Is the implication that being offered a position in marketing would be better than in engineering? It's definitely not what the candidate came in for, and the interviewer also doesn't mention if they would hire him for engineering, just for marketing.
- QuercusMax 5y ago
  Yeah, it doesn't sound like the real Feynman at all to me. Where's the wit and charm?
- jfengel 5y ago
  Just a bit of a talky wise-ass, really. That much, at least, actually sounds like Feynman. But for the most part, no, it didn't really sound much like him.
- numpad0 5y ago
  Sounded like Stallman than Feynman tbh.
- zem 5y ago
  yep, the joke was getting at the "talk lots and lots of bullshit" aspect. it's the engineer's stereotype of a marketing person. like, "hey, this guy won't cut it as an engineer - he couldn't even answer the manhole question. but he sure can spout bullshit with the best of them!"

by cacois 5y ago

ThePadawan 5y ago

I did follow the "intended" vs. "right" subtext right until the punchline. I also at no point got the impression that this fictional Feynman was very convincing, charming or anything like that. Just a bit of a talky wise-ass, really. Obviously he knows his stuff, but he's not direct enough to just say that outright, he tries to lord his intellect over the interviewer. So I really wasn't sure what the punchline ("let's hire you in marketing") was all about. Is the interviewer saying this guy is a bad engineer since he doesn't get to the point? That he's a good marketer because he can talk lots and lots of bullshit? Is the implication that being offered a position in marketing would be better than in engineering? It's definitely not what the candidate came in for, and the interviewer also doesn't mention if they would hire him for engineering, just for marketing.

QuercusMax 5y ago
Yeah, it doesn't sound like the real Feynman at all to me. Where's the wit and charm?
jfengel 5y ago
Just a bit of a talky wise-ass, really. That much, at least, actually sounds like Feynman. But for the most part, no, it didn't really sound much like him.
numpad0 5y ago
Sounded like Stallman than Feynman tbh.
zem 5y ago
yep, the joke was getting at the "talk lots and lots of bullshit" aspect. it's the engineer's stereotype of a marketing person. like, "hey, this guy won't cut it as an engineer - he couldn't even answer the manhole question. but he sure can spout bullshit with the best of them!"