5 ms·

> The first symptom of stagnation is preference. Love this one! [EDIT]: I probably didn't understand it the same way. I read it as "don't have favourites, be

by Vaskivo 12y ago

> The first symptom of stagnation is preference. Love this one! [EDIT]: I probably didn't understand it the same way. I read it as "don't have favourites, be open to new stuff"

huhtenberg 12y ago
It's quite dumb actually. Having a preference means that you know all available options well, not that you think there are no better alternatives.
- V-2 12y ago
  That stagnation / laziness is often disguised as preference doesn't mean that every sign of preference indicates stagnation.
  - npsimons 12y ago
    Right, which is exactly why "The first symptom of stagnation is preference." is dumb. How do you tell the difference between "stagnation" and knowing the best tool for the job? What's that you say? It takes time and thinking beyond a pithy saying? Then why bother with the pithy saying?
    - V-2 12y ago
      Well, the way I see it, the adage is right to recommend being suspicious of, and questioning fixated preferences. This attitude is healthy.
    - AnimalMuppet 12y ago
      Knowing the best tool for the job means that you pick different tools for different jobs. Having a (strong) preference means you pick the same tool if at all possible.
- squeaky-clean 12y ago
  >Having a preference means that you know all available options well With tools, languages and frameworks evolving so rapidly these days, it's impossible to know all of your options well.
- jharsman 12y ago
  Having static preferences that never change does indicate stagnation. But the proverb in the form given is dumb.
stupidcar 12y ago
Prefer not to code everything in Brainfuck? STAGNATION!
ntlve 12y ago
What if preference is based on whatever makes you work the fastest? Or what if preference is based on objective, reproducible evaluation?
jerf 12y ago
You shouldn't. It's gibberish. Discrimination, when not applied to people, is a good thing. If you have spent years learning some discipline, and you have developed no preferences, you are not "avoiding stagnation", you are indecisive to the point of paralysis. Challenge them occasionally, sure, but failure to develop preferences is a massive judgment failure. For what it's worth, this is the first one in that list that I looked at and decided was garbage... I kept scanning for another few and saw little reason to change my mind, as it was not an exception. Pretty landscapes notwithstanding, this entire list was quite sophomoric... it seems to me the criteria for inclusion was sounding wise rather than being wise.

by Vaskivo 12y ago

> The first symptom of stagnation is preference. Love this one! [EDIT]: I probably didn't understand it the same way. I read it as "don't have favourites, be open to new stuff"

huhtenberg 12y ago

It's quite dumb actually. Having a preference means that you know all available options well, not that you think there are no better alternatives.

V-2 12y ago
That stagnation / laziness is often disguised as preference doesn't mean that every sign of preference indicates stagnation.
- npsimons 12y ago
  Right, which is exactly why "The first symptom of stagnation is preference." is dumb. How do you tell the difference between "stagnation" and knowing the best tool for the job? What's that you say? It takes time and thinking beyond a pithy saying? Then why bother with the pithy saying?
  - V-2 12y ago
    Well, the way I see it, the adage is right to recommend being suspicious of, and questioning fixated preferences. This attitude is healthy.
  - AnimalMuppet 12y ago
    Knowing the best tool for the job means that you pick different tools for different jobs. Having a (strong) preference means you pick the same tool if at all possible.
squeaky-clean 12y ago
>Having a preference means that you know all available options well With tools, languages and frameworks evolving so rapidly these days, it's impossible to know all of your options well.
jharsman 12y ago
Having static preferences that never change does indicate stagnation. But the proverb in the form given is dumb.

stupidcar 12y ago

Prefer not to code everything in Brainfuck? STAGNATION!

ntlve 12y ago

What if preference is based on whatever makes you work the fastest? Or what if preference is based on objective, reproducible evaluation?

jerf 12y ago

You shouldn't. It's gibberish. Discrimination, when not applied to people, is a good thing. If you have spent years learning some discipline, and you have developed no preferences, you are not "avoiding stagnation", you are indecisive to the point of paralysis. Challenge them occasionally, sure, but failure to develop preferences is a massive judgment failure. For what it's worth, this is the first one in that list that I looked at and decided was garbage... I kept scanning for another few and saw little reason to change my mind, as it was not an exception. Pretty landscapes notwithstanding, this entire list was quite sophomoric... it seems to me the criteria for inclusion was sounding wise rather than being wise.