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Postosuchus • yesterday at 9:51 PM • 1 reply • view on HN

I came to quote this very article. This raised my eyebrows a lot when I originally read it. I always thought that DEVELOPING A DAMN PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE is inherently apolitical and strongly meritocratic endeavor. Boy, how naive I was...


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mmooss • today at 12:53 AM

We are naive when we think, as we all do at times, that humans in our <group> differ from the others - that we have no politics or biases and aren't affected by those things, and we form some just, meritocratic ideal.

When we find ourselvees thinking that, then we are part of the status quo - the system is designed to suit us. It's very easy to think that status quo is the entire universe; just keep doing what you're doing. Instead, to avoid perpetuating the bad aspects of the system, it's essential to curiously and closely look for its boundaries, look outside it, notice the humans out there who are not being served, who may express unhappiness.

Take them at their word; they may seem absurd, but that's your human response to someone violating norms - the norms being the status quo. Their expression may include being disruptive or unpleasant. 'Disrupt' means 'violate the status quo'; it shows you the status quo's limitations.

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