6 ms·
This is a bit of an aside, but this line really stung: >> Ross was a techie, but he didn't act like one. He seemed eloquent, optimistic, down-to-earth. One of
by robbyking 12y ago
This is a bit of an aside, but this line really stung:
>> Ross was a techie, but he didn't act like one. He seemed eloquent, optimistic, down-to-earth.
One of the main reasons I got into software development in the 90's was the fact that software engineers were (largely) eloquent, optimistic, and down-to-earth.
It's sad that a vocal minority has sullied the image of an entire industry.
- eli 12y agoTo be fair, that's been the stereotype for quite a while. Remember Revenge of the Nerds movies?
- runjake 12y agoVirtually every niche of society considers others of their kind as eloquent, optimistic, and down-to-earth. This is a common perception in a group of people with shared passions. From artists, techies, to politicians and even Nazi Germany.
- karl_gluck 12y agoWow, Godwin's law struck hard and fast. Was that reference really necessary?
- Zikes 12y agoCan't a person make a point that just happens to involve Nazis without someone invoking "Godwin's Law"? It's like just because someone slapped a label on a thing we're not allowed to do the thing anymore. We need an "Anti-Godwin's Law" that states no mention of Nazis or Hitler can be made on the internet without someone inevitably invoking Godwin's Law.
- bduerst 12y agoZike's Law: Whenever Nazi's are mentioned on the internet, someone inevitably mentions Godwin's Law.
- kurotetsuka 12y agoIs there a law for mentioning Zike's law? (kinda serious)
- spinlock 12y agoI believe that's Kurotetsuka's law.
- probablyfiction 12y agoApparently we've reached peak Godwin, everyone. Knock it off.
- forgottenpass 12y agoGodwin's law is rubbish. The Nazis are a strongly and consistently disavowed extreme group. They're a perfect tool when you need to cut across cultures and remove any chance of ambiguity. Their actions so despicable that comparing X performing Y1 to the Nazis performing Y2 is a good tool for reasoning about Y itself and the difference between Y1 and Y2.
- LeonRobrotsky 12y agoNazis had state sponsored scientific research and a national healthcare system (with certain, obvious exclusions). It just seems nonsensically reductive to go 'the nazis did it! therefore its bad!'
- true_religion 12y agoI agree, however that's not what this thread is about. The first poster essentially said "this is so normal, even Nazis do it". We consider Nazis to be abnormal, so if a behavior is common many groups inclusive of Nazis it can be used to imply that the behavior is something inherent to human beings or human governments or human societies.
- dhimes 12y agoThat's why Godwin's law is pretty much not rubbish. Compare to, say, Himes' law: "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Corvairs approaches 1" This law, as best as I can determine, is rubbish.
- ilyanep 12y agoI mean, have you read Unsafe at Any Speed? :P
- lamuerteflaca 12y agoAnd a new law is born: La muerte Flacas' law: Try to use a valid NAZI reference and a clueless bastard will mention Godwin's Law. The Laziest form of counter argument.
- Retra 12y ago"[Godwin's law is] an endlessly tiresome way of feigning moral indignation" -- Kevin Drum
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- Retra 12y agoHow could you reasonably expect me to anticipate your irritability? You've irritated me by failing to see obvious moral indignation, but I wouldn't bother to complain about it. (I'll complain about pettiness, though.) As it turns out, the person I quoted said exactly what I wanted to say. It doesn't need elaboration. >It's a complaint at people being lazy in making arguments. Godwin's law is a very lazy way to make that argument, I would expect.
- cgag 12y agoPointless thought-terminating cliches brought in hard and fast, was invoking that "law" really necessary?
- joe_the_user 12y agoWell, If you read what the author wrote, he implied that as outside observer he found software engineer eloquent, optimistic and down-to-earth. So he wasn't just reflecting group bias. I got into software engineer by finding software engineer down-to-earth at least in the sense that it seemed you didn't have to engage in the posturing implicit in finance, say. That seems to be gone in Silicone Valley but that might be only a small sample of the whole software world.
- nakedrobot2 12y agoThe tech industry has turned into a giant frat party. Sorry folks.