| Eric Vincent wrote on Sat, 11 December 2004 00:15 |
Engineering forums (in any field) are NOT the place for humility and ass-kissing. Engineers are problem-solvers, and problems are solved through inquiry. IF, through logical and rational explaination, my views and opinions are found to be flawed, I have then learned something, and become a better engineer in the process.
Ultimately, my clients benefit from that process, and believe me, that is well worth enduring all the ad-hominem personal attacks I routinely subject myself to on these forums in revenge for my percieved "lack of humility." Don't insult the intelligence of the experienced pros on these forums by assuming they don't appreciate the value of that approach.
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Oh, I think I do appreciate the value of that approach. I have done it myself, and I appreciate it better than most. Listen:
In an engineering forum, or as an engineer in general, you may choose to practice humility, or you may not. If you choose to PRACTICE it (not 'have' it, practice it- I don't care what your ego says, only whether you're spewing said ego at me), you will very likely learn something.
Looks like when you choose to sneer at humility on the grounds that it's beneath you, you're not learning anything.
Eric, I love making sweeping statements, running my mouth, speculating, playing the big shot. It's fun, sometimes I even have something to say in some context, it's a source of really rich enjoyment for me.
I damned well better enjoy it while it's happening because when I do that, that's ALL I'm doing- I do not learn by it. The more I'm able to shut up and listen, the more I'm able to practice humility and look at where my knowledge stops, the more I will learn.
Having done so, I can run my mouth some more and stop learning again- or I can keep going with the humility practice. Right now I'm obviously not learning a thing, because I'm running my mouth at _you_. Better people than I have tried that and got nowhere, so I'm not sure why I'm bothering- I guess it's because I was aesthetically offended by your notion that if you don't stubbornly argue your opinions with others, you're not really experienced. I may not ever agree that you're right, but I would hope that I'd remain able to fall back and consider any notions you'd suggest, instead of making you fight through resistance that was only my own stubbornness.
As far as the notion that 24 track (and analog in general) is pointless in a digital world, you lose: I've seen that argument before. The archival aspect is something Steve Albini argues far better than me, but I have my own take on it. I code DSP software. Do you have any idea, ANY idea how hard I have had to work to get PCM digital to deliver even a sizeable percentage of the emotiveness and immediacy analog tape produces naturally and with relative ease? I can only be envious of anybody working with 24 track analog tape in this day and age. Talk about having it freakin' easy... just doesn't seem fair that I have to burn endless CPU cycles and have everything just so and it's still a struggle, and the 24 track tape guys can just throw up mics and go. So forgiving. Life isn't always fair.
The reason for humility is this: generally to understand a new world of ideas and realities your mind has to be pried open that much farther. Even with willingness this isn't a comfortable process- you're tearing your hair and feeling like you're a fool starting from zero again. Skip that part due to ego, and you are still a fool but one that's not learning. I prefer to be the freaked-out fool who's still learning how small his understanding really is. Rather, I have to be, because my problem is, I am like you, Eric.
