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> "feel sad" -> "eat chocolate" -> "feel good" cycle. > For engineers, the cycle is "see a problem" -> "spot flaws" -> "feel good". Maybe I'm missing some asp

> "feel sad" -> "eat chocolate" -> "feel good" cycle. > For engineers, the cycle is "see a problem" -> "spot flaws" -> "feel good". Maybe I'm missing some aspect of the text? AFAIK, "feel sad" and "eat chocolate" are different things (with a cause and effect relationship) and "see a problem" and "spot flaws" are the same thing expressed in different words, so what's the cycle here?

lazide 5y ago
I think the second example is probably meant more as ‘point out flaws’. Having someone point out flaws, while sometimes an important ingredient in actually fixing flaws, can just as or more often be about as useful in really solving something as eating chocolate can be in addressing why someone is feeling sad. Aka, not much.
- SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
  > I think the second example is probably meant more as ‘point out flaws’. OK, that seems likely, but why use a word "spot" that does not mean "to point out" ? The distinction is clear here: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/spot https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/spot Spot: "to see or notice someone or something, usually because you are looking hard" e.g. "If you _spot_ any mistakes in the article just _mark_ them with a pencil."
financetechbro 5y ago
You are overthinking it. An alternative to “spot flaw” here would be “point out flaw”. The author is just giving an example on how engineers have a habit of pointing out flaws
- arvinsim 5y ago
  > The author is just giving an example on how engineers have a habit of pointing out flaws It's strange that finding flaws is framed negatively. This ability is a positive trait in software development.
  - xxs 5y ago
    ...and to expend finding flaws is vital. Often times dealing with flaws, while being the next guy, is no fun and it may require workarounds.
  - financetechbro 5y ago
    The author Didn’t say that pointing out flaws is bad. But that we shouldn’t rush to immediately point out a flaw when we don’t have the full context behind the issue. This is more to be applied for improving interpersonal skills, but I think if you are in a small team where you are plugged into what’s going, pointing out flaws doesn’t have to be overthought.
- SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
  > You are overthinking it. “spot flaw” here would be “point out flaw”. You could be correct, but you are assuming something that's not in the text. I don't think this is "overthinking": to spot (to perceive, notice, become aware of) _does not mean_ to "point out" (to show, to tell people) I checked the dictionary: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/spot https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/spot "Spot: to see or notice someone or something, usually because you are looking hard." e.g. "If you _spot_ any mistakes in the article just _mark_ them with a pencil." If we're talking about "things that the word doesn't mean" then there's a lot of options.
xxs 5y ago
The relation of sadness and chocolate is so out of place, and by many accounts it doesn't improve anything - "just makes you fat".

lazide 5y ago

I think the second example is probably meant more as ‘point out flaws’. Having someone point out flaws, while sometimes an important ingredient in actually fixing flaws, can just as or more often be about as useful in really solving something as eating chocolate can be in addressing why someone is feeling sad. Aka, not much.

SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
> I think the second example is probably meant more as ‘point out flaws’. OK, that seems likely, but why use a word "spot" that does not mean "to point out" ? The distinction is clear here: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/spot https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/spot Spot: "to see or notice someone or something, usually because you are looking hard" e.g. "If you _spot_ any mistakes in the article just _mark_ them with a pencil."

financetechbro 5y ago

You are overthinking it. An alternative to “spot flaw” here would be “point out flaw”. The author is just giving an example on how engineers have a habit of pointing out flaws

arvinsim 5y ago
> The author is just giving an example on how engineers have a habit of pointing out flaws It's strange that finding flaws is framed negatively. This ability is a positive trait in software development.
- xxs 5y ago
  ...and to expend finding flaws is vital. Often times dealing with flaws, while being the next guy, is no fun and it may require workarounds.
- financetechbro 5y ago
  The author Didn’t say that pointing out flaws is bad. But that we shouldn’t rush to immediately point out a flaw when we don’t have the full context behind the issue. This is more to be applied for improving interpersonal skills, but I think if you are in a small team where you are plugged into what’s going, pointing out flaws doesn’t have to be overthought.
SideburnsOfDoom 5y ago
> You are overthinking it. “spot flaw” here would be “point out flaw”. You could be correct, but you are assuming something that's not in the text. I don't think this is "overthinking": to spot (to perceive, notice, become aware of) _does not mean_ to "point out" (to show, to tell people) I checked the dictionary: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/spot https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/spot "Spot: to see or notice someone or something, usually because you are looking hard." e.g. "If you _spot_ any mistakes in the article just _mark_ them with a pencil." If we're talking about "things that the word doesn't mean" then there's a lot of options.

xxs 5y ago

The relation of sadness and chocolate is so out of place, and by many accounts it doesn't improve anything - "just makes you fat".