Do most programmers know where the fit in the larger scope of things?

[DaveB]

Do most programmers know where they fit in the larger scope of things? In
my experience, in every technical environment I have worked in or
managed, there are people that quickly assess and leave, those that
linger on and shouldn't, those who milk the "science" for all it's worth
for personal gain, those who are a shoe-in with connections and the very
few that surely go on in the field and make things better and change
things for the better (that latter(est) of which I have but one or two
real examples and then assumption of some of the industry gurus).

Do you know who you are and what you want? Would you resort to boondoggle
to achieve a higher standard of living than your neighbor? Would you have
kids and tax other people to school them? Have you read "The American
Programmer"? "The Mythical Man Month"? Seen (hopefully not READ) "The
Fountainhead"? Who is Kant and is he the **** many consider him to be?
Are you a unionized programmer or want to be one? Have you ever driven a
taxicab (not in one)? Are you an immigrant? An alien? A criminal? Are you
free? Do you think anyone is free or some are free-er than others? Should
a programmer worry about any of the aforementioned?

Any and all responses welcomed.

 

[JeffRelf.F-M.FM Â Â]


You ( Dave Burns ) asked about “ The larger scope of things. â€.

In truth, no one is free. Society consumes, randomly multiplies
and deals with what few “choices†it might have.

Societies that breed like rabbits, die like rabbits; its random.

My personal information is here:
http://jeffrelf.f-m.fm/

I'm half·way to idiot·savant; I got the idiot part down pat.
“ Feeding taxmen just creates more, hungrier taxmen. â€, I say.

 

[Öö Tiib]

Do you know who you are and what you want?

I am human. Intelligent organic lifeform. I am guided by natural
desires that evolution has given to me. First desire was to be winner.
When i was young i trained skills of musketeer (modern pentathlon) it
was probably because i did read "Three Musketeers" when i was 5 years
old and the people there felt like winners.

At one spot i rethought, probably when i discovered i have sexual
desires. I realized that i want to breed and spread. It is less
interesting to fight with other humans here on that rock. Also, it
feels pointless when to look up at clear night. There is plenty of
space. I want to spread all over the universe (starting from Solar
system and then Milky Way galaxy ). So i did pick physics and
biotechnology.

At one spot i realized that the pick was possibly wrong. The planet i
am on is not as wet as it looks first and certainly not a rock. It is
made mostly of iron. Also the godly nanotechnology we consist of is
too complex for our brains. That meant immediate rethinking of my
strategy. I switched to infotechnology. C++ i took as most powerful
and flexible programming language i know existing at the moment.

Currently i believe (almost religiously) that it is most suitable idea
to develop a tool. Skynet if you please. I trust we can develop Skynet
that is more cooperative than one in Terminator series. It is on any
case more help than harm for my goals. If it is fatal error it
hopefully at least inherits my dreams.

Would you resort to boondoggle
to achieve a higher standard of living than your neighbor? Would you have
kids and tax other people to school them? Have you read "The American
Programmer"? "The Mythical Man Month"? Seen (hopefully not READ) "The
Fountainhead"? Who is Kant and is he the **** many consider him to be?
Are you a unionized programmer or want to be one? Have you ever driven a
taxicab (not in one)? Are you an immigrant? An alien? A criminal? Are you
free? Do you think anyone is free or some are free-er than others? Should
a programmer worry about any of the aforementioned?

Humans have each their own goals and worries. I avoid managing or
affecting others with force. I believe into negotiating. I manage to
keep my (average-sized) family fed. It is a plan B if my plan A
fails.

 

[gwowen]

Do you know who you are and what you want? Would you resort to boondoggle
to achieve a higher standard of living than your neighbor? Would you have
kids and tax other people to school them? Have you read "The American
Programmer"? "The Mythical Man Month"? Seen (hopefully not READ) "The
Fountainhead"?

"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s
life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish
fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its
unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially
crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of
course, involves orcs."