It’s really interesting to me that you would choose the word “junk” for Feynman and Orwell. The software community really does have a disease where we think if it’s not code, it’s not worth knowing. Some of the most important books to my career had nothing to do with software at all.
Anyone with profession that requires focus tend to ignore what happens outside their field. Remember in the book Sherlock Holmes does not know Earth revolves around the Sun and he argues not knowing does not affect his work (he in a sense is calling that information as junk).
It’s really interesting to me that you would choose the word “junk” for Feynman and Orwell. The software community really does have a disease where we think if it’s not code, it’s not worth knowing. Some of the most important books to my career had nothing to do with software at all.
Anyone with profession that requires focus tend to ignore what happens outside their field. Remember in the book Sherlock Holmes does not know Earth revolves around the Sun and he argues not knowing does not affect his work (he in a sense is calling that information as junk).
Isn’t that tendency exactly what you’re advocating against? Calling it “junk” doesn’t help you argue your case.
The word "junk" was just meant to be a satire. Thanks for taking your time to read the article.