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Why would a laudable social initiative like this be titled as "hack" in HN submission. I don't mean that "hack" here has a negative connotation, but the title here stretches the definition of "hack" too far.
Or was there no hack involved at all, and it is simple economics instead? As the article said, women are becoming more economically independent, and they are rare, so they can make demands. Naturally, a toilet is the first thing that comes to mind.
Why would a laudable social initiative like this be titled as "hack" in HN submission. I don't mean that "hack" here has a negative connotation, but the title here stretches the definition of "hack" too far.
1) Its an unexpected and clever way to get a toilet. You can think of it as hacking the culture (where marriage is highly valued) or the men (who really want to get married).
2) The OP wanted to post this here and wondered how to make it look like "HN material." (If I'm wrong, please let me know, just what popped to mind).
It's a nice idea, but I am missing the information on what made it happen? Somehow all the women united to claim their rights to a toilet? But why? How where they informed, how did they agree? It's not like they synced via Twitter, did they? Or was there no hack involved at all, and it is simple economics instead? As the article said, women are becoming more economically independent, and they are rare, so they can ma…
It's nice that more Indian homes will be getting toilets, but it's weird that Indian women had to basically stop putting out to get it done.
(Unfortunately, I don't think they are still together.)
(When I see the headline, Bob Marley sings in my head. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Woman,_No_Cry)
Why would a laudable social initiative like this be titled as "hack" in HN submission. I don't mean that "hack" here has a negative connotation, but the title here stretches the definition of "hack" too far.
Hacker: One who enjoys the intellectual challenge of
creatively overcoming or circumventing limitations.
I think a creative way to kill two very different birds -- the status of women, and the state of hygiene -- qualifies.
Why would a laudable social initiative like this be titled as "hack" in HN submission. I don't mean that "hack" here has a negative connotation, but the title here stretches the definition of "hack" too far.
Look at meaning #7 in the hacker dictionary Hacker: One who enjoys the intellectual challenge of creatively overcoming or circumventing limitations. ( http://www.ccil.org/jargon/jargon_23.html#TAG833 ) I think a creative way to kill two very different birds -- the status of women, and the state of hygiene -- qualifies.
Many of the social initiatives/programs launched in India target basic needs to improve awareness. A few I can think of at the moment are :
a. Midday meal to children attending schools (feed the hungry, provide education)
b. National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (provide employment and let the people do something helpful (building roads, canals etc) for the village/community)
I am no expert in this area and it seems to me that many of social schemes/programs have this mix of targeting the needs to spread awareness.
Would then all these social schemes be qualified as "hack" ?
Translation: People in the US should pat themselves on the back and feel enlightened because they have a toilet and modern sanitation. Not only is having a toilet a convenience, but a statement of equality and fairness. Articles like these help Americans feel that the US has a moral high ground, which helps sell wars.
How in the world did you get that from the article? I'm really chuffed about these kind of "hacks". There are a lot of initiatives in India to try and improve the lives of the rural community and it is really great. India cannot progress by leaving the villages behind.
a) traditional methods of sanitation offer no benefits and only fools would choose not to allocate resources to a western toilet
or
b) that it is the responsibility of those in the US to be entertained by stories of third world men having to be forced to buy their women toilets.
It's a small leap from men who have to be coerced to buy toilets to men who have to be coerced (via bombs) to not be terrorists, etc. The basic dehumanization of the message is also a key bit of emotional distancing that must be done before the American people can sit by while thousands of third world people are killed by American bombs for no good reason.