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Discussion on: The Rockstar Paradox

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jmc • Edited

Separate from this, for me a lot of that pressure comes from the fact that we're all programming using languages, libraries, algorithms, data structures, etc. that rockstars have created / invented.

I'm not sure there's another field where you have such a close relationship to the tools, and the tools are so often created (and so recently) by very small teams, down to teams of one.

Perhaps academic research has this quality as well, though I can't speak from much experience on that front.

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Pan Chasinga • Edited

This is an interesting take. Although I want to be clear that great programmers are not necessarily rockstars. Rockstar is a term of status marketing/recruiter/media helped come up to distinguish a certain stereotype that's easy to market and discriminate "the more normal ones".

Great programmers who have created languages, libraries, tools have used today are just great human beings because most of them did without or with little financial benefits. I've come to know in person a person of this caliber (let's just say he invented a language) and he's more similar to most people I know. He struggles in the same way we all do. He may have more theoretical experience and a more streamlined thought process, but he wouldn't strike you as a genius or rockstar. He is just a resilient, patient and very humble man who always ask for feedback.