How Privileged Are Programmers? Are You a John, Too?

John, a young, white, heterosexual, self-taught developer. He is not rare, but special. He has a complete family and has no worries about food and clothing. He can get whatever toy he wants because he learned the strategy of "needing three toys to get at least one".

He had average grades, but that didn't matter because his mom thought "he was just tired of school and was too smart". After graduating from high school, he found a job in programming directly. The salary is not high, so I can only barely maintain a small apartment and a simple meal. But he believes the future will be better.

A few years later, John was tired of programming. He likes the concept of this profession, but his actual work is boring. He frequently switched jobs until his "stupid" bosses realized how important he was to the company.

This is also good, because most of the developers he works with are also "stupid". Do they even know how to program? They just want to chat and ask questions, and they don't care about John's work. He used to work with a female developer who was so beautiful to a programmer - if you can count CSS and HTML as programming as well.

I was very angry.

I was John a long time ago. I don't think all the boring tasks are worthy of me, and other developers are mediocre at best. I am my hero, my mom is right (although annoying), and I am really smart. It would be great if the people around you could see this too.

But then I grew up a little.

I realized how self-righteous, self-centered asshole I was before. I realized how important the people around me were, and I wasn't as important as I thought. I don't know if it's because of marriage or having children. I think both of these things can help people grow, but I prefer to believe that the reason I grew up is how disgusting my behavior was and how charming I am now.

I should not be rewarded. Being a decent person, rather than a completely disgusting asshole, is nothing to achieve. It's just less common than people think...

Many people like me have a problem: we are not forced to grow up. We are born in peace. We have never experienced the meaning of struggle. We don’t need to study programming hard, so we think we are lucky, which quickly turns into thinking we are talented. We never had to pay our student loans, nor did we have to learn to get up early to do a job that we value.

"Look at the doctors, electricians, plumbers, lawyers. They are busy learning something meaningless, and I can work immediately. It would be great if I could find a fun job..."

We jump around because it is easy to be hired, but it is difficult to recruit talented developers. Being talent does not guarantee that a person can communicate normally with others or do a good job. We believe we can pretend to be busy and work up to an hour or two a day.

"They will still pay us, and if they don't, we can go somewhere else."

We hate meetings not because they distract (distract the work we are employed to do but are not busy), but because someone will ask “how the project is going.” We hate this question because we can't answer it.

"Things are complicated, I'm trying to figure out what other 'ids' have done/what are doing/what else has to do."

We blame each. individual. delay on others. Our work is great, but we are busy solving problems that others impose on us. If this lasts long enough, we will resign indignation.

It's not just the meeting, but also the constant interference from other "idiots" around. People seek help, not write good code. "If I had to tell them to read the manual again, I swear I'm going to delete their code."

We just want to wear headphones and read this review of The Legend of Zelda (sounds like a good game). Then I might go back and check out that funny subreddit and have lunch soon. Maybe I can finish debugging before the end of today. Nor do they need to do it before anyone else needs to do all the work. Also, project managers always double the time it takes for things, so I'm sure they're lying when they say the deadline is this weekend. They thought they could fool us. idiot.

I was very angry because I saw too many shadows of myself in it. I used to boycott meetings because it was the quickest way for others to find out that I wasn't getting the promised work done. Or worse: what I claimed to have done wasn't actually done. I didn't want to be bothered because they would find out that I wasn't doing anything work-related at the time.

And appearance is everything. Why admit that I didn’t work hard, or that I didn’t know what I was doing; when I just had to shift the blame to someone else or something?

I used to play World of Warcraft for a few days in the office (the office I requested).

Do you know? I'm an idiot. I am naive and self-righteous, and I do not deserve the trust of others. I was angry when they expected me to finish the work they paid me to finish. I was angry when they politely suggested meetings every day. I was even more furious when they told me that I wasn't working fast enough.

I was wrong.

I was angry when I saw that others had these patterns. It's not to say that I want them to be perfect (I'm not), nor that I've forgotten that I used to be like that (I haven't). This is because I wasted too many years of time at work. Failed to learn, failed to grow. I also waste a lot of time and money from those who trust me, believe in my professionalism, believe in my all-out efforts.

Even today, I still interact with John. He told me I knew very little and how difficult it was to advise people who helped him to explain things. How this API and that service causes errors and delays, and it will be done when it is finished. I saw his attitude of boycotting the daily meeting. I was tired of his constant excuses and promises he failed to deliver.

I thought of all the clever little things I could do to force John to work. All these processes, slogans and lists. Then I was desperate. The only thing that makes John realize he is wasting his time is wasting enough time to get him to fall out of the safety net. He has to grow up on his own, and maybe by then he will pass it on to his future employers and clients.

I hope that through this commitment to excellence, I can also be redeemed.

Programmer Privileges FAQ

What is "programmer privilege"?

Programmer privilege refers to the advantages, opportunities and benefits that people in the programming field often enjoy due to their profession. This may include high pay, flexible working hours, remote work opportunities, and high demand for their skills. However, it is important to note that not all programmers enjoy these privileges, and many face challenges such as long hours of work, high stress, and job instability.

How is programmer privilege compared to other professions?

Programmers usually enjoy higher salaries and more employment opportunities than many other occupations. This is mainly because there is a high demand for programming skills in today's digital economy. But, like any profession, programming has its drawbacks, such as long hours of work and high stress levels.

Does all programmers have privileges?

No, not all programmers have privileges. While many enjoy high salaries and other benefits, others face challenges such as job instability, discrimination and burnout. Experiences of privilege may also vary widely by factors such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status.

How does privilege affect the programming community?

Privacy can have a significant impact on the programming community. For example, people with privileges usually have more opportunities for career advancement, while people without privileges may face barriers to entry and promotion. This could lead to a lack of diversity in the field, which in turn limits innovation and inclusion.

How do we solve the privilege problem in the field of programming?

Solving the privileged problem in the field of programming requires recognition of its existence and efforts to achieve greater equity and equality. This may include efforts to diversify the field, provide equal opportunities for all, and create a more inclusive and supportive work environment.

What are some examples of programmer privileges?

Examples of programmer privileges may include high pay, flexible working hours and the ability to work remotely. However, it is important to note that not all programmers enjoy these privileges, and many face challenges such as job instability and discrimination.

How does privilege affect the quality of programming work?

Privacy can affect the quality of programming work in a number of ways. For example, people with privileges often have more resources and opportunities to develop their skills, which can lead to higher quality work. However, a lack of diversity may also limit the scope of perspectives and ideas, which in turn limit innovation.

What does privilege have to do with the “John” metaphor in programming?

The "John" metaphor in programming refers to the stereotype of privileged programmers—usually white, male, middle-class people. This metaphor highlights the issue of privilege in the field, as it excludes the experience and views of people who do not conform to this stereotype.

How do I check my privileges as a programmer?

Checking your privileges as a programmer requires reflecting on the strengths and opportunities you have in your career and considering that these strengths and opportunities may not exist for others. This also includes listening and learning from others’ experiences and leveraging your privileges to advocate for greater equity and equality in the field.

How does an organization solve the problem of programmer privileges?

Organizations can address programmer privilege issues by promoting diversity and inclusion in recruitment and promotion practices, providing equal opportunities for all employees, and creating a supportive and inclusive work environment. They can also provide training and education on privileges and biases and encourage employees to reflect on their own privileges.

The above is the detailed content of How Privileged Are Programmers? Are You a John, Too?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!