Programmer Privilege 353
An anonymous reader writes "Philip Guo, an Asst. Professor of Computer Science at the University of Rochester, has written a thoughtful article on his education in programming. Guo explains that he was no particular coding wizard while growing up, but when he jumped into a CS major when he went to college at MIT, he received all sorts of passive and active encouragement — simply because he 'looked the part.' He says, 'Instead of facing implicit bias or stereotype threat, I had the privilege of implicit endorsement. For instance, whenever I attended technical meetings, people would assume that I knew what I was doing (regardless of whether I did or not) and treat me accordingly. If I stared at someone in silence and nodded as they were talking, they would usually assume that I understood, not that I was clueless. Nobody ever talked down to me, and I always got the benefit of the doubt in technical settings.' Guo compares this to the struggles faced by other minority groups and women to succeed in a field that is often more skeptical of their abilities. 'I want those people to experience what I was privileged enough to have gotten in college and beyond – unimpeded opportunities to develop expertise in something that they find beautiful, practical, and fulfilling.'"
Re:Guilty As Charged (Score:5, Funny)
I'm not sure if it's chicken or egg here, but I've always cultivated a bit of a "mad scientist" look.
"Oh, well, if the unshaven guy says it's technically possible, then it must be true..."
Re:Guilty As Charged (Score:5, Funny)
Wearing sneakers to work with impunity really helps too.
Re:How long would that last... (Score:5, Funny)
Exactly! *nods head*
Re:How long would that last... (Score:4, Funny)
Whilst at Microsoft, his job was as a salesman ... that's the very definition of bullshit.
Re:How long would that last... (Score:4, Funny)
Every task, every day, every job is a triumph.
don't worry you'll get over that.