Comments on: Happy Birthday http://thomblake.com/2008/07/01/happy-birthday/ Philosopher, Computer Ethicist, Web Developer Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:09:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Isaac Z. Schlueter http://thomblake.com/2008/07/01/happy-birthday/#comment-3 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:37:04 +0000 http://thomblake.com/2008/07/01/happy-birthday/#comment-3 If you're honest, you never stop feeling like a novice, I think. I can (and do) claim that I have master-level expertise in what I do. I believe that, and I don't think it's arrogant. That claim is regularly justified by peers who I respect, and in fact, look up to. But I do look up to them, because the problems I can't solve seem so hard, and the problems I can solve seem so trivial. My solutions are difficult and ugly; theirs are effortless and elegant. Of course, this is largely perspective bias. On some level, creation is painful, art is beautiful, and only the artist sees the pain. Besides, when you're an expert, saying, "Maybe I'm missing something, but..." does two things. First, if you are missing something, you don't come across like a douchebag. Second, if what you're saying is insightful, it's delivered in a palatable way that frees people up to be accepting rather than competitive. That's why the baddest badasses are humble about it. :) If you’re honest, you never stop feeling like a novice, I think. I can (and do) claim that I have master-level expertise in what I do. I believe that, and I don’t think it’s arrogant. That claim is regularly justified by peers who I respect, and in fact, look up to. But I do look up to them, because the problems I can’t solve seem so hard, and the problems I can solve seem so trivial. My solutions are difficult and ugly; theirs are effortless and elegant.

Of course, this is largely perspective bias. On some level, creation is painful, art is beautiful, and only the artist sees the pain.

Besides, when you’re an expert, saying, “Maybe I’m missing something, but…” does two things. First, if you are missing something, you don’t come across like a douchebag. Second, if what you’re saying is insightful, it’s delivered in a palatable way that frees people up to be accepting rather than competitive.

That’s why the baddest badasses are humble about it. :)

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