To me, this fits into the category of devs often being unthinking rather than actively rude, and those are completely different categories to me.
I want to address this quote because I’ve been this guy, and I’ve had to train myself out of habits like these. When one acts without thinking the results are often quite rude. Not thinking through your actions and the impact those actions will have on others is itself rude!
Now, I don’t mean to ascribe malice here either, but you can be quite rude without malice. Intent matters, and its worse with malice. But simply being “absent minded” is also rude! Good people acknowledge it, apologize and move on. Some people dig in their heels and won’t concede. YMMV. :)
I was immediately more successful and worked less when I decided to be a nasty person. I kept a nice moat around my tecnhical work and always exuded confidence.
Once walked out of a big meeting in frustration with a bunch of upper microsoft partners. The head of ops said something like "Well the only guy who actually knows what's going on just left. so the meeting is over" (at a fortune 500).
I was an asshole. the whole team was assholes. We burnt out after about 18 months and 4 acquisitions.
Yeah, I’ve been that guy too. I agree it isn’t pleasant. Sometimes I feel driven to be that way by the actions of others. Thats when I know its time for me to step back, reassess, apologize if necessary, and try to move forward.
I want to address this quote because I’ve been this guy, and I’ve had to train myself out of habits like these. When one acts without thinking the results are often quite rude. Not thinking through your actions and the impact those actions will have on others is itself rude!
Now, I don’t mean to ascribe malice here either, but you can be quite rude without malice. Intent matters, and its worse with malice. But simply being “absent minded” is also rude! Good people acknowledge it, apologize and move on. Some people dig in their heels and won’t concede. YMMV. :)