Code as Art I covered this before in Art or tool? If you think of software as artistic output then generated software isn't real because it doesn't have the creative ineffability that's a sign of true art. There's no argument against this one except that the people who want software typically aren't paying for artworks,...
This post is basically “it’s always been this way” four times in a row, as if that means we’re not allowed to complain. As if everyone was happy with the state of software, or the world, beforehand. As if highlighting problems afresh is a reasonable excuse to accelerate them. At what point is this kind of post just capitalist propaganda?
At what point is this kind of post just capitalist propaganda?
It’s not, it’s example #387946 of “Your specific X/Y/Z grievance is actually a general anti-capitalist grievance”.
Socialists tend to say variants of this a lot because many people never connect the dots between their specific complaint, and the system that caused it. It’s an attempt to get people to focus on the disease, and not the particular symptom du jour.
Many, but not all, anti-AI complaints fall into this category.
It’s an attempt to get people to focus on the disease, and not the particular symptom du jour.
When the symptom is the focus of the author’s consultancy I fear this piece may not be as anti-capitalist as you interpret.
If the post is indeed about focusing on capitalism as a whole, if anything it reads more like an attempt to shift focus away from the thing people can potentially make a difference on right now.
“Your specific X/Y/Z grievance is actually a general anti-capitalist grievance”
Which is supremely unhelpful, vein just a “oh you’ve only just noticed there are promlems? well I, the better, more smart person, have known about problems for a while”. Instead of being condescending, why not talk about collective bargaining? Why not shout out some software-related unions?
You can certainly take it that way, but my observation is it’s still an uphill battle to get people to even see the problems are related, so I prefer to focus on that first.
I actually think suggesting devs engage in collective bargaining or form a union is an even bigger leap, too big for first steps.
This post is basically “it’s always been this way” four times in a row, as if that means we’re not allowed to complain. As if everyone was happy with the state of software, or the world, beforehand. As if highlighting problems afresh is a reasonable excuse to accelerate them. At what point is this kind of post just capitalist propaganda?
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Funnily enough, it’s coming from a self-described (albeit top-hat-wearing) communist.
Boy, that temptation of ~personal slaves~ offloading hard work sure is something, huh.
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It’s not, it’s example #387946 of “Your specific X/Y/Z grievance is actually a general anti-capitalist grievance”.
Socialists tend to say variants of this a lot because many people never connect the dots between their specific complaint, and the system that caused it. It’s an attempt to get people to focus on the disease, and not the particular symptom du jour.
Many, but not all, anti-AI complaints fall into this category.
score 1 · canonical
When the symptom is the focus of the author’s consultancy I fear this piece may not be as anti-capitalist as you interpret. If the post is indeed about focusing on capitalism as a whole, if anything it reads more like an attempt to shift focus away from the thing people can potentially make a difference on right now.
score 1 · canonical
It’s an odd duck because the author also recently wrote what I consider a very good journal article: https://deprogrammaticaipsum.com/fully-automated-luxury-communistical-software-factories/
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Which is supremely unhelpful, vein just a “oh you’ve only just noticed there are promlems? well I, the better, more smart person, have known about problems for a while”. Instead of being condescending, why not talk about collective bargaining? Why not shout out some software-related unions?
score 1 · canonical
You can certainly take it that way, but my observation is it’s still an uphill battle to get people to even see the problems are related, so I prefer to focus on that first.
I actually think suggesting devs engage in collective bargaining or form a union is an even bigger leap, too big for first steps.
score 1 · canonical