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buybuydandavis comments on Science, Engineering, and Uncoolness; Here and Now, Then and There - Less Wrong Discussion
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Comments (41)
A "shut up and listen" attitude is contrary to technical culture, and detrimental to it. In technical circles, it's what you say that matters, not your status or authority.
First, I said "listen", not "believe". "Hear them out", if you prefer.
And second, we both know that's not true. Else people wouldn't be asking for EY to have a doctorate as a precondition to even giving him a chance.
You didn't just say "listen", you said "shut up and listen".
Some people may ask EY for his doctorate, but many do not. I don't, and I've got one. In many fields, that would make me right, and EY wrong, about anything in the field. Not the case in technical fields.
But people do have limited time, and want to see some evidence that listening to some technical argument will be worthwhile. For some, that will be a relevant doctorate, relevant peer reviewed papers, etc. There is no point in getting huffy because someone's priors imply that it's not cost effective to listen to you.
"Shut up and listen" is a very different statement than "I don't think that looking at your work is a good investment of my time."
Well, sure they're very different. The former is a socially-acknowledged-as-wise man basically saying "there is strength behind my words", the second is the same man saying "what you say is not worth listening to". "I'm strong, watch and learn" is not the same as saying "I refuse to even accept your challenge".