I believe that the way to think in development is really simple, just ask why?
I am committing this code, why?
I don't understand why this is like that?
Why do I need to learn this framework?
Why do I love this framework?
Why you should love this framework! < 🙄
Why don't we do this?
Why do we do that?
Whyyyy!!!
So irritating no? Well actually this is the root of imposters syndrome, you didn't speak up, we measure ourselves at levels of title, I am a junior senior, it's wrong, talk about why you feel this way. What you don't understand, you ask why as soon as your gut starts itching, you will find that actually that is a contribution and you may actually already have the knowledge to comprehend the intent.
If you space out the whys, you probably aren't irritating anyone. You need to ask yourself why as well. The above sample of FAQ's will help you break your own long held beliefs.
I am entering a rebirth in my career, understanding the advanced stuff it bothered me that the basics in my knowledge are frequently wrong. I know I know where to ask. I can see where I went wrong and slowly I am building my early knowledge back up. But why? Because okay, cmon, I don't know all the answers!
Lastly if anyone tells you to Google it, ask why won't they share thier experiences? Google is not people. But then again, maybe they don't know, you should ask why together.
I hope you agree or disagree, tell me why!
Top comments (4)
You made a great point...oftentimes the answer to WHY? turns out to be "because that's how we always did things!" Or because the previous lead dev didn't want to learn anything new and insisted on using an ancient framework. I enjoy studying Zen Buddhism because there is so much of an emphasis on finding "a lamp unto yourself" and discovering the truth yourself...not because a popular blogger says to do it this way, not because it's a best practice (whose best practice?), and so forth.
Some people don't like change. I think that's a very human thing, I know I struggle with it. It's uncomfortable to see things in a different light and change your habits, but it is oftentimes well worth it. It took me years before functional programming finally clicked. I was reading and re-reading some great materials, but nothing stuck. The key concepts went right over my head. Then all of a sudden, one day I found myself nodding in agreement and I realized I had crossed the plateau. Then I proceeded to overabuse it and write lots of clever code, and I had a coworker challenge me to find simpler ways of expressing things.
I was pissed at first, he insulted my beautiful code! But he was right. I wasn't adding value with my code, I was making things much more complicated within a system that already took months to understand. So many things in life are about balance, and without being willing to fail and learn from our mistakes, we are bound to stagnate.
I have heard that before form somewhere, 🤣!
"because that's how we always did things!" Or because the previous lead dev didn't want to learn anything new and insisted on using an ancient framework.
Change, is hard, but why? Because if we accept change, then all that we know will change too, until change is hard again and so all that we know will... I have caused a Stackoverflow in my head... The point I guess is that change represents that uncomfortable truth, that right and wrong is not finite but shifting all the time.
I might need to look into Buddhism a bit more, but I have a feeling with the life I have had, I may already be on that path.
"Then I proceeded to overabuse it and write lots of clever code, and I had a coworker challenge me to find simpler ways of expressing things."
Been there done that got the tshirt, still do it in private when nobody is looking, (because actually using clever stuff is not wrong if you know why it's clever and why people dislike it, (I used to think people thought I was a smart arse, not its just because Its not needed), but still I even write about the best of the worst, because know your enamy).
Take care Scott, I do love your comments :)
Asking why is definitely a big part of growth.
Why are the functions in this file ordered the way they are?
You can literally ask questions like this, but you can also seek the answers passively and eventually you might read a blog post that happens to answer it.
Agreed, I actually turn to dev.to before stackoverflow these days, because it's human and the people express opinions, that is crucial to choosing what is right and wrong not the "best answer".
Thanks again for Dev.to, its changed my life.