ending the cults of personality in free software

[menotu]

By aseigo - Thursday, November 08, 2012

Free software has a history of creating and supporting cults of personality. Since it is a widespread human phenomenon, it is easy to understand how this happens. It is, however, unhelpful and destructive and we really ought to actively discourage it, starting by putting aside the current cults.

The most recent, though certainly not the only example, of this retrograde behavior was seen when Linus Torvalds started posting on Google+ about his recent sampling of various Free software desktop options. This made the rounds on various blogs, Slashdot, Linux Today, etc. Why do we care what Linus uses? Simply put: he's a super star in F/OSS and people hang on his every word as a result as if he's an oracle of all things technology. Spoiler alert: he's not.

His opinion on desktop software is as meaningful as his opinions on rocket ships, film production, oil recovery techniques, sociology, religious history, automobile engineering or any of the other topics he has no meaningful expertise in. Everyone will hold an opinion on things they use, such as cars or ships, and things they simply come into contact with, such as film and religion. Sharing our viewpoints is great and a necessary part of democratic discourse which can move societies along their evolutionary path. So opinions have value and can be hugely beneficial when mixed together with hundreds, thousands or even millions of other samples. The trick, however, is not letting those whose opinions are of no great value in terms of being based on greater understanding or access to relevant data become more important than other opinions in those discussions.

Full article

[joechimp]

Would not the onus be on the believers that choose to hang on his every word?

[muungwana]

Would not the onus be on the believers that choose to hang on his every word?

it is human nature to think/act/behave in ways that reflects what/how those they think highly of do/say.

This is why we sometimes hold responsible those in positions of influence when they do/say things that others imitate and cause harm to themselves,to others and communities they belong to.

I stopped listening to him a while a gone, its nice to see other high profile people are starting to speak out against his communication style.

[Just17]

it is human nature to think/act/behave in ways that reflects what/how those they think highly of do/say.

Hey Joe, maybe it is one of those human traits chimps do not share 

It is a sad reflection on that part of the human race who are unable to form an opinion of their own and must ape others.

[Bald Brick]

it is human nature to think/act/behave in ways that reflects what/how those they think highly of do/say.

Hey Joe, maybe it is one of those human traits chimps do not share 

It is a sad reflection on that part of the human race who are unable to form an opinion of their own and must ape others.

Well said. 

[Wildman]

I heard a man say once, that "Opinions" are like "But^ Holes....most everybody has one, (or perhaps acts as one  ) ....
And another Professor said  "Opinions", most everyone has one, and usually they are based on wrong or limited information..
They seem to be correct..

[Vorteggs]

I rely on opinions of persons only. One of them being me

No, I never buy so called public opinion or social mind.
Had bad experience with those even from 10 years old - and till now.

Can you imagine, friends, I have no TV and don't watch TV for more than 15 years?
And I don't feel I need it.

I am listening to the news  with greaaat uhmm... uhmmm...
...smile

[Crow]

An excessively long writing to say one thing only. Boring.

For those that read it all, does he say something else after the first half?

[menotu]

He does seem to tie his arguments up with euphemisms

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By aseigo - Thursday, November 08, 2012

cults of personality redux

In a recent blog post, I slammed cults of personality in Free software communities. Some noted in the comments that this was not the only challenge we faced, and I completely agree. On the one hand, it's a bit of an odd observation to make: of course all complex results have complex sets of causal factors. Entire volumes have been written about this aspect of complex challenges, and a thread I've noticed in a number of pieces I've read is that the shear number of causal factors makes it hard for people to untangle and overcome the challenges presented. It's like we become distracted by too many topics and forget that you eat an elephant one bite at a time and not all at once; that it is OK to examine and address issues in a piecemeal fashion.

..................

Full articlel

[Crow]

I'm afraid Aaron Seigo is picking fights where there is none, Torvalds is an eternal nonconformist, a personal trait which has served Linux to grow and be better; following that route he has talked bad about Gnome and KDE4, from my point of view he only gave word to the thoughts of many who kept the same point of view about both DE's in times when the answer of devs was "if you don't like it...".  Did they learn the lesson or will they push half cooked code again?

Cult of personality? I wish here in my country we had more role models like Torvalds

I guess Linus Torvals is like KDE "if you don't like it...."

[ZX80Man]

If a interested new Linux user does some reading and learns of Linus's roll, it would be easy to put a lot of trust in what he says.
I have done this, myself, but after more input, I can see you have to weigh the words he says just like any other human.
I'm not sure if it's a sense of humor or...

[Archie]

There are always two sides to a blog post - the yin and the yang. Quite often people mistake one thing for another. I'm not saying this all boils down to Linus. Aaron Seigo could be suggesting an abuse in one's status, and Linus Torvalds possibly believe that his rhetoric are the mark of his authority as a leader (veining from his unique character trait).

I'd put my marbles on Linus'weighing  scale but not because I agree with everything that comes out of his yapper, especially in the way they come out. IMO deep-rooted in what Linus say is a rule of discipline to keep us all in proper line, and remind us in this galaxy of the digital universe where he exerts his rule, we better listen and we better conform lest we risk creating our black hole.

And Hubert G. Webb, it's too early in the morning for me to be posting such nonsense ... pardon me, I'm gonna have to gobble up on some bacon and toast ... and coffee. Note to self... for two months now, I've been having the worst coffee in my life!

[ppiklapp]

I only have one question, if Linux is suffering from 'cults of personality', what is Microscoff's problem?  They sure don't seem to have any personality.  To most people I talk, to they have the appeal of a dead cat in 100 degree heat.  So how do we define them?

By the way, followers of Linux should not be considered a cult of anything, for it breaks the cardinal rule of cults.  Linux allows free thought and expression without punishment.