Nobody Cares • Hacker News Board

Re: Nobody Cares

#41

Post by saraid216 » Sat, Aug 11, 2012, 12:48 AM UTC

chollida1 wrote: post #21

dasil003 wrote: post #12

A corollary is there's a limit to what you can effectively care about. A big part of what makes us geeks is caring too much about the wrong things (according to normals anyway).

> A corollary is there's a limit to what you can effectively care about. In absolute terms, maybe, I'm not sure. But in relative terms, by definition, there is a limit to what you can care about. Care more about your job than your kids, that's a problem. Care more about your friends than your spouse at a time when they need your support, that's a problem.

> In absolute terms, maybe, I'm not sure.

Check out Dunbar's Number (a.k.a. the monkeysphere).

Re: Nobody Cares

#42

Post by milfot » Sat, Aug 11, 2012, 12:55 AM UTC

sjtgraham wrote: post #20

The first thing I do when interacting with someone who is providing me a service is ask them how their day is going. Why? Because no one does this (I'm in London), more often than not it really makes a positive difference to this persons day, i.e. they are genuinely shocked that someone gives a shit (I do by the way) and it doesn't cost me a single thing to do. I think it's something everyone should do.

I always found it slightly jarring in London that people always asked if I was alright.. 'you alright' I would reply with, why is something wrong, do I not look okay? Took me ages to realise this was just the equivalent of 'how are you' or 'hows it going' or whatever.. Still find it amusing that the British implication on meeting someone is that something is probably wrong, and at best it is 'alright'..

Re: Nobody Cares

#43

Post by StavrosK » Sat, Aug 11, 2012, 1:14 AM UTC

protomyth wrote: post #17

code177 wrote: post #6

This seems like a very cynical article. On the behalf of everyone in Canada, the UK, and Australia, it's very common for people to reciprocate this sort of courtesy and genuinely mean it. In fact, I'd go as far to say that most people would be downright offended if you didn't reciprocate. Similarly, most people go out of their way to thank transit drivers, and everyone holds doors. Perhaps an American could share som…

Seems pretty cynical to me too, but I've lived in either North Dakota or Minnesota for a couple of decades. It takes so little effort to be nice and have a conversation with people. Who knows, you might make the teller laugh and get through their day easier. [from the article] Does anyone who has ever said “have a good one” actually mean it? Yep, I do mean it. I'm that sap. I wish you well and still sign all my e-mai…

I am rather dismayed by the lack of interaction between people in my country (Greece). We don't talk to strangers at all, not even to say hi or hold a door open or anything. It's a cultural thing, people just don't think to talk to other people.

That's all I wanted to say, have a good day!

Re: Nobody Cares

#44

Post by michaelochurch » Sat, Aug 11, 2012, 1:38 AM UTC

There was a meme at Google with a tombstone and the caption "Cared Too Fucking Much". I won't get into the story behind that meme, other than the observation that caring too much can be very damaging.

I think people develop the blah attitude after exposure to the consequences of caring too much. At some point, they overcompensate by getting the attitude that nothing is worth caring about, as opposed to the more reasonable and strategic decision not to care most of the time.

Re: Nobody Cares

#45

Post by sofal » Sat, Aug 11, 2012, 1:47 AM UTC

Serious question here, not even joking: do you care about the mobile visitors to your site? Do you care that there is an obnoxious floating "contact" widget popping out from the side covering the text I want to read? This sort of thing happens on so many other websites too that I think it ironically fits right into the topic. I think a lot of people need to visit their own websites on a smartphone.

Re: Nobody Cares

#46

Post by btilly » Sat, Aug 11, 2012, 1:49 AM UTC

The key element is this. Do you view customer support as a cost center or a sales channel? If a cost center, then you as a company are not going to care. If as a sales channel, then you as a company are going to care, and are likely to going to need premium pricing somewhere to pay for that.

Note, one of the offered examples is MediaTemple. I know the people at MediaTemple pretty well, and when I made that comment to them they all agreed with me that MediaTemple views customer support as a sales channel. It also has premium pricing compared to the rest of the web hosting industry. So while I cannot vouch from first hand experience that my comment fits all companies that care, I know it does fit that one.

Re: Nobody Cares

#47

Post by AznHisoka » Sat, Aug 11, 2012, 2:00 AM UTC

jonnathanson wrote: post #30

"You should care because nobody else does" Sure. It's a decent enough reason. But it seems born from an overly cynical thesis. How about a better reason? Care because you want to. Make a conscious effort to give every stranger you encounter the benefit of the doubt. Some will prove you wrong, naturally. But until they do, they're presumed innocent. It's actually pretty remarkable how much of a difference this approac…

It's also mentally exhausting and drains your willpower. While it may be a sign of good character, being like that 24/7 (even when you don't feel like it) is a good recipe for driving you insane eventually.

Re: Nobody Cares

#48

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Aug 11, 2012, 2:05 AM UTC

AznHisoka wrote: post #47

jonnathanson wrote: post #30

"You should care because nobody else does" Sure. It's a decent enough reason. But it seems born from an overly cynical thesis. How about a better reason? Care because you want to. Make a conscious effort to give every stranger you encounter the benefit of the doubt. Some will prove you wrong, naturally. But until they do, they're presumed innocent. It's actually pretty remarkable how much of a difference this approac…

It's also mentally exhausting and drains your willpower. While it may be a sign of good character, being like that 24/7 (even when you don't feel like it) is a good recipe for driving you insane eventually.

[deleted]

Re: Nobody Cares

#49

Post by taroth » Sat, Aug 11, 2012, 2:28 AM UTC

AznHisoka wrote: post #47

jonnathanson wrote: post #30

"You should care because nobody else does" Sure. It's a decent enough reason. But it seems born from an overly cynical thesis. How about a better reason? Care because you want to. Make a conscious effort to give every stranger you encounter the benefit of the doubt. Some will prove you wrong, naturally. But until they do, they're presumed innocent. It's actually pretty remarkable how much of a difference this approac…

It's also mentally exhausting and drains your willpower. While it may be a sign of good character, being like that 24/7 (even when you don't feel like it) is a good recipe for driving you insane eventually.

Making a "code" is like building a habit. Maintaining the code might be tiring at first, but consistently caring about others, just like consistently brushing your teeth, will inevitably get easier. If you truly are feeling exhausted/insane after treating people well for a day, its unlikely you think people are worth treating well to begin with.

Re: Nobody Cares

#50

Post by runawaybottle » Sat, Aug 11, 2012, 2:36 AM UTC

There is truly nothing interesting about this observation, and pretty much a juvenile insight. Yes, give a shit about what you do, it'll be apparent in your work, yadadada.

As for the whole 'care about other people', that's just so ridiculous, I'm not even sure how this is on the frontpage.