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Thanks for sharing the article, I think it was a pretty thought provoking read. I do think that this guy has impostor's syndrome, and feels like his accomplishm
by rchiba 12y ago
Thanks for sharing the article, I think it was a pretty thought provoking read. I do think that this guy has impostor's syndrome, and feels like his accomplishments are not worth what society says they're worth. But I disagree with his woebegone attitude about it as if it is his responsibility for the market's behavior. And I disagree when he tries to pin the pulse of American thought in 2014. For example, when he says that we're slowly turning to a society where
> "I do this enough times each day that a simple association has formed in my mind: if you’re not technical, you’re not valuable."
That kind of mindset is abnormal, a sign that he needs to diversify his media intake, and I don't think that represents the mainstream. If all you consume is TC, VentureBeat, Silicon Valley, and Betas, you'll end up thinking something along those lines. But I can tell you that out of all the people I know, that is not what they believe. In real life, you learn that people in sales, people in social work, people doing non-programming things in life are just as important. As for market behavior, there are probably unfair events happening. But I wouldn't beat myself or anyone else up about what the market does.
And maybe the whole tech scene is more and more part of the news but I think that it's no reason to feel doubtful about the things programmers do everyday and their purpose no matter how mundane it may seem. The whole idea of purpose in my mind is a bit pretentious. Why does it always seem like purpose is equated to the lowest tier on maslow's hierarchy of needs? Is a doctor in a hospital more morally purposeful than a programmer at Snapchat? We're living on a rock in the middle of space, on a speck of dust. Purpose is what you make of it. Snapchat helps me keep in touch with my sister. Facebook lets me keep track of my friend's birthdays. I met my girlfriend of 7 months on Coffee Meets Bagel. I'm achieving self-actualization though these mundane products. I'm grateful for everyone working on those products. And I feel appreciated by customers of my social media marketing software, marketers who have just saved themselves a boatload of time and hassle. So I don't beat myself up because I work in marketing and advertising because I know that I helped someone. And as long as you too feel appreciated and help another human being out, I think the whole moral argument is bunk.