Real Programmers don't use PASCAL
Look at things without any opinion, otherwise you never look at reality. Look at things without any philosophy, without any prejudice, without any dogma, creed, scripture. Just look. ― The Buddha
When looking at this photo, what are the thoughts, feelings, and images that arise in you? Does it bring up pleasant feelings, memories, and thoughts? Maybe some irrational anxiety and shivering? Maybe nothing special?
I have a fear: I’m closer to 50 than to 40 so some might think I’m getting too old and inflexible to be successful in a youth-dominated, ever-changing, and high-speed industry. And I’m also a woman, so some can think I’m not smart enough or too emotional to be successful in a world dominated by men. Does a boomer woman have a place in this world? Can people I meet overcome their prejudices so that I get an opportunity to prove my value?
Prejudices are preconceived opinions, attitudes, or stereotypes about individuals or groups based on factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or socioeconomic status. They often arise from cultural, societal, or personal biases and can manifest consciously or unconsciously. In my case, I’m impacted by the two most common prejudices in the IT world: ageism and genderism.
But there is a reason we have prejudices: they can ease navigating through everyday situations. They can provide us with mental, emotional, and social support.
Cognitive shortcuts: Prejudices serve as cognitive shortcuts that help us quickly categorize and make sense of the world around us. By relying on stereotypes, we can navigate complex social environments more efficiently and we spare a ton of time and energy that we’d use for thinking. Our brain is wired in a way to move through the day with as little effort put into thinking as possible.
Social identity and belonging: Prejudices can provide a sense of social identity and belonging when we align ourselves with a particular group or community. This can get extra important in today’s society where the net of social connections is slowly unraveling.
Protection and safety: Prejudices may serve a protective function by helping us identify potential threats or dangers in our environment. By associating certain characteristics or behaviors with risk, we can minimize the risk of getting into dangerous situations.
Maintaining social order: Prejudices can contribute to the maintenance of social order and stability by reinforcing existing power dynamics and social hierarchies. They may justify inequalities or discrimination based on perceived differences between social groups.
Ego defense: Prejudices can serve as a form of ego defense by bolstering our self-esteem and sense of superiority. By denigrating or dehumanizing outgroups, we tend to enhance our sense of worth or competence.
As you can see, the above picture has two sides. Relying on stereotypes and biases helps us in a lot of situations, but it can distort our perceptions, hinder interpersonal relationships, and limit opportunities for genuine understanding and empathy. Addressing our and others’ prejudices requires awareness, education, and a willingness to challenge stereotypes and biases. It is an ongoing process that requires effort and commitment. Awareness and openness are the keys here.
Self-reflection: Take time for introspection and self-reflection to identify your own biases and prejudices. Reflect on your upbringing, experiences, and cultural influences that may have shaped your beliefs and attitudes. This can help unravel some of your most deep-rooted prejudices.
Education: Educate yourself about different cultures, perspectives, and social issues to broaden your understanding and challenge stereotypes. Engage with diverse sources of information, including books, articles, films, and personal narratives. Seek out opportunities to interact with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Engage in cross-cultural experiences: travel, volunteering, or community events.
Open-mindedness: Approach interactions with an open mind and a willingness to listen and learn from others. Listen to feedback and perspectives that challenge your assumptions and beliefs. Practice empathy by putting yourself in the shoes of others and considering their experiences, emotions, and perspectives. This can foster building authentic connections.
Critical thinking: Develop critical thinking skills to evaluate information critically and question your assumptions or stereotypes. Challenge yourself or others to examine the underlying beliefs and motivations behind prejudiced attitudes. Speak up against discriminatory language or behavior and advocate for inclusivity and respect in your personal and professional environments.
So you’ve laid out the path for yourself, but fighting and preventing prejudices in your organization is also an important mission for you as a leader. Establish and continuously enforce clear values and policies in the organization. Promote diversity education and training programs. Ensure diverse representation at all levels in the organization. Encourage an open and honest dialog about prejudices. Identify and address biased practices. Hold everyone accountable for their actions and behaviors.
Finally, one of your most important tasks is to lead by example. You, the leader, will set the example the team will follow. Your job is to raise awareness and inspire your team to start their lifelong journey on this path. Looking at my personal experience, I can confirm that this awareness and these practices leak back into everyone’s private life. And this means we’re making the world a tiny bit better place to live. Sounds syrupy, I know.
Food for thought: Check back the photo again and try to identify how your prejudices might come into play. In everyday situations, do you spend time bringing these prejudices to a conscious level? What were cases where you identified the bias that led to your decision and in hindsight, it wasn’t a good bias? Were there any cases where the prejudices worked against you in a specific situation? What are the prejudices you’re very aware of in yourself and you’re working on addressing them actively? I would love to hear from your personal experiences.
PS For the sake of the less geek part of the world: The title comes from a 1983 essay about computer programming. The article compares and contrasts real programmers, who use punch cards and write programs in FORTRAN or assembly language, with modern-day "quiche eaters" who use programming languages such as Pascal that support structured programming. Over the years, the term “Real Programmer” has come to describe the archetypical “hardcore” programmer who eschews the modern languages and tools of the day in favor of more direct and efficient (cowboy) solutions. Long story short, the essay is about stereotypes and prejudices. It might be interesting to think about how these prejudices changed over the last 40 years.