Your Shit Does Stink -- Good Friends Are Hard to Find
written by Steven on March 24, 2009
In our growing internet/tech/design community it sometimes becomes clear which of us has no friends. It takes a real friend to tell you your breath smells or your design is weak or your blog post or conference talk or new idea is crap. It's easier to just smile and nod and say, "that's great," and that's what most of us do. But a true friend will tell you to polish it up or go make changes or start again. One of Allan's main responsibilities is to tell me no, and vice versa. We are constantly whittling ideas down to their core, removing anything that distracts. I am grateful to have someone in my life who can tell me when I'm off target. You can tell who doesn't have any friends though, it's the person with some level of internet fame who regularly turns out nonsense. He probably has people around him who are either too caught up in his personality or afraid to tell him the truth. As your "Internet Fame" rises take note of the people around you who tell you your shit stinks, and hang on to them. Finding people who are honest with you will only get harder.
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Steven Bristol has written code for the past 20 years. He like green vegetables and kittens, oh and butterflies too. He loves to throw ninja stars at his enemies.
11 Comments
Thats definately true.
Hearing a no from a real friend is really more interesting than a “Sure” from anyone.
Thats definately true.
Hearing a no from a real friend is really more interesting than a “Sure” from anyone.
I think advice is always helpful when you need it. But important to remember that you can spend your whole life listening to what others think.
Awww…kitteh!
I think I only held on to friends who tell me my shit stinks! It can be difficult to take criticism, but if it’s meant well it’s certainly valuable. You guys sound like the Lennon/McCartney of code. Good post!
So true, Steven once told me that I lack passion. He was right, I was on the phone from the break room trying to be incognito. Even so I’m pretty bland… working on it ;-)
So true, Steven once told me that I lack passion. He was right, I was on the phone from the break room trying to be incognito. Even so I’m pretty bland… working on it ;-)
Teh kitteh makes me smilez.
Oh, and for the blog post?
Oh yes, so true – I would also rather have ten friends telling me the truth rather than a thousand just nodding; “you, you’re fine, all good and stuff”
I have a lot of friends but i only trust a few of them. My friends has a big part in my life they are the one who give me advices at times of hardship.
Only true friends will truly say what is right- whether good or bad.
Prize for oddest post title of the day – as this is a complement does this mean we are not your friends?