DHH – Programmers should stop celebrating incompetence (2021)
David Heinemeier Hansson criticizes celebrating incompetence in programming to combat imposter syndrome. He emphasizes deep understanding over surface-level knowledge, urging programmers to strive for mastery and competence through dedication and continuous learning.
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In a recent article, David Heinemeier Hansson criticizes the trend in the programming world of celebrating incompetence as a way to combat imposter syndrome and gatekeeping. He argues that reducing the profession to copy-pasting and magical thinking undermines the goal of improvement and mastery. Hansson acknowledges the challenges of self-taught programmers facing doubts without prestigious diplomas but emphasizes the importance of not settling for surface-level knowledge. He urges programmers to strive for deep understanding and resist presenting a facade of ignorance to appear relatable. Instead, he advocates for embracing the journey of becoming a skilled "wizard" in programming, highlighting the profession's depth and the need for competent programmers in today's world. Hansson encourages aspiring programmers to have confidence in their capacity to improve and master their craft, emphasizing the value of dedication and continuous learning in the field.
2 commentsIf you want to place blame at someone's feet, I would point toward the managerial class that have encouraged the downskilling of talent in favor of having more control - if you only know how to do front end or back end, you need a team to build anything. Full stack developers don't necessarily have this problem, and are harder to slap around as they could leave and build on their own.
I've caught myself towing the party line regarding how only the most dedicated unicorn 10xers can achieve competence with both parts. I don't actually think this is true though. With a good mentor and proper environment you can make anyone full stack even if they have a normal home life.