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So... this is essentially a cultural question, so I think the best way to look at it is empirically. Not exactly your question, but there's an anthropological

by netcan 5y ago

So... this is essentially a cultural question, so I think the best way to look at it is empirically. Not exactly your question, but there's an anthropological pattern whereby gift exchange between individuals of disparate class or power (eg peasant & lord) automatically create a tradition. If a boss gives his employees a turkey for christmas, christmas turkeys become a permanent expectation. If a lord give his king 20 camels for spring equinox, this can easily escalate into a permanent tax.

hinkley 5y ago
I know a former software developer who is very open about going to therapy. He once commented on this fact, saying that he knew someone who also talked openly about therapy, and that he never would have gone if they hadn't known this person. Essentially he's hoping to be 'that guy' for somebody else. Computer science, to people who are picking college degrees, seems like a safe, sterile environment of pure logic. But the only jobs are in software development, which is organic as hell. It's messy, it often smells, sometimes it rots. And sometimes it's just scary. A lot of people seem to be in denial about this for a long time. Software is full of social capital and emotions, and we often try to conceal both behind a mask of objective thought. I can tell you ten logical reasons we shouldn't write the code this way but the real problem is that I think your solution is going to leave me stressed out of my comfort zone and/or missing life events because I either can't trust that you'll clean up your own mess, or that the business won't let you because you can't do it fast or robust enough. So I'm gonna argue with you about getting anywhere near that cliff edge, but we're not going to talk about the proverbial agoraphobia because that's too hard. And if my logical, objective, sterile reasons for saying 'no' are deflected, odds are very good I'm going to acquiesce instead of actually agree, and I'll be secretly stressed, possibly grumpy, possibly even ready with an 'I told you so.' All while we're trying to keep hard things 'professional'. Your solution is nerve wracking. This one is not. We should use this one, because we have better things to stress about. You're goddamned right we're going to trade a little more stress for you now for less stress for the entire company three months from now. It's a fair trade.
- stevenhuang 5y ago
  Did you respond to the wrong comment? Not sure where you're going with this comment.
  - hinkley 5y ago
    ??? Must be a sibling comment. Shoot.

by netcan 5y ago

hinkley 5y ago

I know a former software developer who is very open about going to therapy. He once commented on this fact, saying that he knew someone who also talked openly about therapy, and that he never would have gone if they hadn't known this person. Essentially he's hoping to be 'that guy' for somebody else. Computer science, to people who are picking college degrees, seems like a safe, sterile environment of pure logic. But the only jobs are in software development, which is organic as hell. It's messy, it often smells, sometimes it rots. And sometimes it's just scary. A lot of people seem to be in denial about this for a long time. Software is full of social capital and emotions, and we often try to conceal both behind a mask of objective thought. I can tell you ten logical reasons we shouldn't write the code this way but the real problem is that I think your solution is going to leave me stressed out of my comfort zone and/or missing life events because I either can't trust that you'll clean up your own mess, or that the business won't let you because you can't do it fast or robust enough. So I'm gonna argue with you about getting anywhere near that cliff edge, but we're not going to talk about the proverbial agoraphobia because that's too hard. And if my logical, objective, sterile reasons for saying 'no' are deflected, odds are very good I'm going to acquiesce instead of actually agree, and I'll be secretly stressed, possibly grumpy, possibly even ready with an 'I told you so.' All while we're trying to keep hard things 'professional'. Your solution is nerve wracking. This one is not. We should use this one, because we have better things to stress about. You're goddamned right we're going to trade a little more stress for you now for less stress for the entire company three months from now. It's a fair trade.

stevenhuang 5y ago
Did you respond to the wrong comment? Not sure where you're going with this comment.
- hinkley 5y ago
  ??? Must be a sibling comment. Shoot.