Rodent Regatta

Hubris is a subject we’ve covered several times before. Lately, it has come to mind again. This time it’s about technical people who simply cannot tolerate the “ignorant users.”

Examples include:

• a web host unsatisfied with a customer’s requests
• a technical writer indifferent toward a customer’s ignorance
• a medical office receptionist accusing the patient when the receptionist is unable to find fifteen years of patient history
• a university forcing people to park in the wrong place in order to go inside a building and request that the gate be opened into the area visitors are supposed to park—complete with reprimand for parking in the wrong place
• a software company overly confident that they know the better way in the face of customer requests to the contrary
• a community of users now seeing their discussion forum dominated by a narrow group of snarky experts threatened by any intrusion from the outsiders

There are solutions, but those in a position to change things must want to satisfy customers. You must be willing to ask (sincerely), “who are the customers and what do they want?”

In a 2002 poll, the Consumer Electronics Association discovered that 87% of people said ease of use is the most important thing when it comes to new technologies. “Engineers say, ‘Do you know how much complexity we’ve managed to build in here?’ But consumers say, ‘I don’t care. It’s just supposed to work!’ ” says Daryl Plummer, group vice president at Gartner Group.—from The Beauty of Simplicity by Linda Tischler writing for Fast Company magazine.

There’s something that is simply revolting about a group of people who so openly seek everything that’s pretentious. Once called yuppies, these social climbers use any and every means to try and raise your impression of them while tearing down others. Worse, they pass these habits along to their offspring. They are the difference in a life that is a rat race and a life that is genuine.

This led me to the conclusion that the religious right are the American equivalents of communists. They make us sound silly and stupid. Petty. Ridiculous. —Dave Winer

It’s time to write again.

I’ve been quiet lately. There have been too many things going on, but none are more important than the protection of the freedoms cited by the Founders. To have a member of the far left in this country insinuating that conservative people of faith are communists would be laughable were it not so sad.

He’s better than that—I think. Americans—of both parties—are better than that. Derision is not part of the solution to this country’s challenges.

Write what you believe, but let’s try to find some balance between merely criticizing our fellow citizens and proposing alternatives to what they espouse. We need ideas far more than we need venom. We need brilliance not braggadocio.

It’s time to write again.

A. B.

Answer: B.

Why? A. is under indictment and removed from his position in government. B. continues to whine, manipulate and undermine the long-standing traditions of civility in the United States Senate.

All is well with you. That’s great. The yuppie lifestyle is intact. You’ve kept up with—and even passed—the Jones family, in spite of their new BMW. You live in a place free of any possible adversity. That’s great.

Of course, just because you don’t depend on levees, don’t get too comfortable. Oh, and just because you don’t have to attach your bookshelves to the wall, don’t be complacent.

There’s a time, a place and a lifestyle that might surprise you. Yes, even you might be surprised at what’s required of you. Perhaps it’s a natural thing—earthquake, flood, tornado—you know the lot. Or, maybe the rolling blackouts roll over you for thirty days at a time. Imagine your lifestyle without power for thirty days.

Or, imagine what could happen when everything that can’t happen happens at once. Odd sequences of tornadoes in a six-state area accompanied by a terrorist attack on a scale never-before-seen on the west coast wouldn’t necessarily do it. What if we were also at war in three places simultaneously? What if there was a sudden run on the dollar due to years of trade imbalances? What if anarchy became common?

When Genius Failed by Roger Lowenstein tells the story of some rather bright guys who bet against some things occurring concurrently. Design for a number three catastrophe when you know number fives are possible, and you get trouble. Blunder a bit in your estimates, and trouble swamps you. Global currency collapse isn’t likely, except...what if your government gets so deep into debt and deficit spending that…nah, can’t happen.

There is a combination of events that cannot happen simultaneously. You believe they can’t. They can and they might.

You’ll want to pick a way to live differently even if it’s 2008 before you need to!