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What really happened at PyCon 2013

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Re: What really happened at PyCon 2013

#51

Post by bad_user »

_delirium wrote: post #35
ma2rten wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Without overgeneralizing too much, Europe does not have the same culture of political correctness as the US does. If someone makes a joke people get offended less quickly. In this case people would just think of the jokers as immature and move on. The only exception I can think of is concerning the holocaust. EDIT: Anyway, I can recommend anyone to live in another culture for some time in their life. First you will f…

I'm an American who lives in Denmark, and I agree, but I'm not sure it is people getting offended less quickly in general, versus on specific subjects. There are plenty of ideas that Danes consider to be completely crazy, not really debatable in polite company. For example, suggesting that abortion should be illegal, which is a mainstream position in the USA, is such a crazy-far-right position in Denmark that you cou…

I'm a Romanian.

> suggesting that abortion should be illegal, which is a mainstream position in the USA, is such a crazy-far-right position in Denmark

Personally I think Americans are spoiled.

In Romania under Ceausescu (so before 1989) abortions were illegal. Hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of women (in a country with a population of less than 19 millions) ended up doing illegal abortions under unhealthy, unsanitary conditions. Many of them had health issues because of that, thousands died or were prosecuted for it.

Many of the women that didn't manage to get an abortion, ended up with unwanted children. Conditions were tough as we were living with harsh austerity measures, many of these parents barely had enough money to put food on the table, many of these children grew up in families that didn't want them, many of these unwanted children were given up for adoption, filling the streets with beggars.

Abortions may be murder, but making them illegal is also murder.

If you are interested in what happens when abortions are made illegal, there's a good documentary movie about what happened in Romania. Search for "Copiii lui Ceausescu" (in translation "Ceausescu's Children")

Re: What really happened at PyCon 2013

#52

Post by piquadrat »

icebraining wrote: post #50
sgdesign wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

http://lanyrd.com

Thanks! Such a shame that if you want something in Europe, you have to look country by country, since selecting "Europe" returns no results.

If you're looking for Python cons, You should definitely check out DjangoCon 2013 in Warsaw, Poland (http://2013.djangocon.eu/, 15-19 May, possibly sold out) and EuroPython in Florence, Italy (https://ep2013.europython.eu/, 1-7 Juli).

Re: What really happened at PyCon 2013

#53

Post by jeltz »

cynwoody wrote: post #47
gbog wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know if you are US citizen or from other American continent citizenship, but I, as a Frenchman, had the same impression, reverted, with fellow Quebequois boys. When we were casually talking between us about girls, they had a kind of transgression excitement that I did not understand. When asking, they told me they kinda weren't allowed to even think this way in their countries, let alone talking about it. For…

> I don't know if you are US citizen or from other American continent citizenship LOL! Although the Western Hemisphere is a big place, and North and South America comprise a lot of countries, I can assure you, in standard English, and fair or not, "an American" === "a United States citizen".

You are correct, but there is no reason to be rude.

Re: What really happened at PyCon 2013

#54

Post by iwashere »

http://yougle.fbviralvideos.com for those who Missed the PyCon events OR missing those lovely moments..???

I couldn't make to the PyCon 13, but PyCon-12, UK was so awesome, especially Paul Graham.. http://yougle.fbviralvideos.com, to live PyCon 2013 moments again and again.. (Type the keyword- PYCON 2013, in the search box)

Featured shows: PyCon-2013 Applied Parallel Co, Kivy and Raspberry Pi at PyCon

Re: What really happened at PyCon 2013

#55

Post by rplnt »

grey-area wrote: post #49
michaelochurch wrote: post #4

Thank you for posting this. I wasn't at PyCon 2013, but I really wish the discussion would get back to the fact that 99% of what happens when technical people get together is positive and cool. It's really sad that the ridiculous 1% gets so much attention. I actually don't think technology people are that bad, not as a class. Most types of ambitious male business people are a lot more vulgar and perverse than the tec…

Somewhat ironically, you've now threadbombed this story with discussions of that ridiculous 1% by mentioning it :) I know that probably wasn't your intention, but please let's not turn this story into one of those interminable threads about gender relations, there are enough of those elsewhere.

The article itself was playing on that 1%, both with title and the first paragraph. I wouldn't blame michaelochurch for mentioning it.

Re: What really happened at PyCon 2013

#57

Post by flyinRyan »

_delirium wrote: post #35
ma2rten wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Without overgeneralizing too much, Europe does not have the same culture of political correctness as the US does. If someone makes a joke people get offended less quickly. In this case people would just think of the jokers as immature and move on. The only exception I can think of is concerning the holocaust. EDIT: Anyway, I can recommend anyone to live in another culture for some time in their life. First you will f…

I'm an American who lives in Denmark, and I agree, but I'm not sure it is people getting offended less quickly in general, versus on specific subjects. There are plenty of ideas that Danes consider to be completely crazy, not really debatable in polite company. For example, suggesting that abortion should be illegal, which is a mainstream position in the USA, is such a crazy-far-right position in Denmark that you cou…

> Also, suggesting that healthcare should be a purely private responsibility, not guaranteed by the state, would position you as quite far-right,

Well, obviously as this is an extreme far right position (I'm american living in Europe and I realize this...).

Re: What really happened at PyCon 2013

#58

Post by Nursie »

_delirium wrote: post #35
ma2rten wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Without overgeneralizing too much, Europe does not have the same culture of political correctness as the US does. If someone makes a joke people get offended less quickly. In this case people would just think of the jokers as immature and move on. The only exception I can think of is concerning the holocaust. EDIT: Anyway, I can recommend anyone to live in another culture for some time in their life. First you will f…

I'm an American who lives in Denmark, and I agree, but I'm not sure it is people getting offended less quickly in general, versus on specific subjects. There are plenty of ideas that Danes consider to be completely crazy, not really debatable in polite company. For example, suggesting that abortion should be illegal, which is a mainstream position in the USA, is such a crazy-far-right position in Denmark that you cou…

Yes, those would be considered extreme positions in much of Europe. Healthcare privatisation is pretty much a forbidden topic in politics because suggesting it would be political suicide. Nobody wants it.

And banning abortion is tantamount to signing the death warrant on hundreds of young, confused, scared women. So, yeah, these are considered extreme views, because they're extreme.

Re: What really happened at PyCon 2013

#59

Post by flyinRyan »

obstacle1 wrote: post #28
michaelochurch wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The truth, which is ugly, is that the white-collar Work culture that has existed for over 200 years is based on some extremely sexist assumptions. It's designed in a way that makes it very difficult for women to fit in, in any stable and reliable way. Additionally, most of the things about Work that make it hard for women are also deeply defective attributes (e.g. male dominance hierarchies) of it that are maladaptiv…

Is this a troll? I don't know your history, but I've heard that you have one, so... If this is a troll, someone let me know, please. Otherwise... >It's designed in a way that makes it very difficult for women to fit in, in any stable and reliable way. Additionally You can't just make a statement, not provide evidence, and then say "additionally...". You haven't proven your first point. What sexist assumptions is whit…

>Is this a troll?

Wow. After reading both of your contributions to this thread you stand our far more as the troll to my eyes.

>What sexist assumptions is white-collar Work [sic] culture based on?

Are you seriously saying "white-collar work culture" isn't sexist?

Pop quiz: how many female CEOs are there in the fortune 100? If you're guess was closer to 8 (the actual number) than 50 would you mind explaining why you would guess that?

>The calculated harnessing of risk.

You're talking about over all risk, he was talking about personal risk of which trading has very little compared to other career options.

>Take advantage HOW?

Must one recount the total sum of all knowledge in every post for you? It's pretty well established how and why tech people are exploited. If you haven't been keeping up then that's your responsibility to educate yourself. Not every poster from now until the sun burns out to keep reiterating our collective accumulated knowledge and experience.

Re: What really happened at PyCon 2013

#60

Post by leoedin »

michaelochurch wrote: post #16
_delirium wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's an interesting point. I don't have any real basis to generalize, but I have been in a number of situations where business people think that tech people are too politically correct. Coming from a general view that tech isn't really a role model in that category to begin with, that was surprising to encounter. My limited time in Europe suggests that European culture on the whole is less attentive on this subject…

The truth, which is ugly, is that the white-collar Work culture that has existed for over 200 years is based on some extremely sexist assumptions. It's designed in a way that makes it very difficult for women to fit in, in any stable and reliable way. Additionally, most of the things about Work that make it hard for women are also deeply defective attributes (e.g. male dominance hierarchies) of it that are maladaptiv…

'Technology' is such a broad field. I can tell you categorically that most people at the large technology company I work for are not in the slightest bit interested in risk. They want a regular salary to pay the mortgage and support their family and they want regular hours. There's very few idealists in my office either. Most people in technology (programming and engineering) are there because they had some sort of aptitude for it at school. There's a few idealists, and a few risk takers, but they are not the majority. The bulk of technology firms are large, established and secure.
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