Words have semantics which give them power.
And when words are used to gatekeep rather than empower, they can become dangerous.
And it is good for us to DEFINE what they mean when we use them.
You have given the term "beginner" the meaning of someone who does a lot of things but doesn't get very far in them. Who decides what "very far" means?
As an example: I have been in tech 20+ years and worked on many different platforms & languages. I did my PhD using C/C++ but that was decades ago. Since then I've worked in Java, JS, Dart, Python etc. If I were to revisit C/C++ should I call myself a pro? (I did after all use it for 7 years and built a system with it) . No - because I have the knowledge but not recent expertise. I can however call myself a beginner in the context of starting a new journey where I am using it in something again.
I will leave you with this.
Words have power and set context.
We should redefine BEGINNER to be a positive word which indicates the start of a learning journey.
We should set the CONTEXT by having the beginner clearly articulate what the purpose of that journey is, and what the destination will be. And if we can do that, then more people will find tech an inclusive place where all journeys are welcome.
Even though I completely agree with your overall idea, I still think that redefining terms and make everyone accept them it's not a worthwhile pursuit. I much rather use different terms to describe things.
If we're to make tech a place for everyone to be in, not only should we help them get in but also help them be the best they can be once they're inside the industry.
And of course, words have the power to define someone's world so better use the ones that can make the most difference for that person and others around them.
I have to agree on this - what I really like about what you are saying is that you see ways for us to shift the conversation to make it inclusive without focusing on the terms.
So YES! And if you come up with some terminology AND activities/actions that you think is useful, do write about it and tag me and I would love to amplify. At the end of the day, if we help more people understand that tech is a lifelong learning journey, we will have done good! ♥️
At the end of the day, if we help more people understand that tech is a lifelong learning journey, we will have done good!
100% agree with that sentiment. Lifelong learning is the greatest pursuit IMO. I think is an advantage that the tech landscape changes that fast cuz people will have to eventually realize that going out of school/college is where the real learning begins.
I will keep coming up with ideas on how to talk about this type of topics in a way that is accessible to most people without the "bad" connotations that they may have had.
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That was my point.
Words have semantics which give them power.
And when words are used to gatekeep rather than empower, they can become dangerous.
And it is good for us to DEFINE what they mean when we use them.
You have given the term "beginner" the meaning of someone who does a lot of things but doesn't get very far in them. Who decides what "very far" means?
As an example: I have been in tech 20+ years and worked on many different platforms & languages. I did my PhD using C/C++ but that was decades ago. Since then I've worked in Java, JS, Dart, Python etc. If I were to revisit C/C++ should I call myself a pro? (I did after all use it for 7 years and built a system with it) . No - because I have the knowledge but not recent expertise. I can however call myself a beginner in the context of starting a new journey where I am using it in something again.
I will leave you with this.
Words have power and set context.
We should redefine BEGINNER to be a positive word which indicates the start of a learning journey.
We should set the CONTEXT by having the beginner clearly articulate what the purpose of that journey is, and what the destination will be. And if we can do that, then more people will find tech an inclusive place where all journeys are welcome.
Even though I completely agree with your overall idea, I still think that redefining terms and make everyone accept them it's not a worthwhile pursuit. I much rather use different terms to describe things.
If we're to make tech a place for everyone to be in, not only should we help them get in but also help them be the best they can be once they're inside the industry.
And of course, words have the power to define someone's world so better use the ones that can make the most difference for that person and others around them.
I have to agree on this - what I really like about what you are saying is that you see ways for us to shift the conversation to make it inclusive without focusing on the terms.
So YES! And if you come up with some terminology AND activities/actions that you think is useful, do write about it and tag me and I would love to amplify. At the end of the day, if we help more people understand that tech is a lifelong learning journey, we will have done good! ♥️
100% agree with that sentiment. Lifelong learning is the greatest pursuit IMO. I think is an advantage that the tech landscape changes that fast cuz people will have to eventually realize that going out of school/college is where the real learning begins.
I will keep coming up with ideas on how to talk about this type of topics in a way that is accessible to most people without the "bad" connotations that they may have had.