By becoming more opinionated.
Ask HN: How to be less opinionated?
111–118 of 118 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to be less opinionated?
#112Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think being a sycophant is rarely a good long term strategy. More importantly, I don’t think it’s an ethical one.
I'm intrigued. Why do you think that is being a sycophant? Which bit do you not like?
Advocating a particular position based on how you think your boss will react is the behavior of a sycophant and unprofessional. If you have a technical role, it’s your responsibility to advocate based on technical reasons. If you are highly uncertain, either do more research and experimentation or refrain from adding your opinion.
Re: Ask HN: How to be less opinionated?
#113The more you read diverse ideas, diverse political views, diverse paradigms, diverse worldviews, diverse literature, the wider your conscience horizon you'll have. That will make it more certain on where to be more or less opinionated and, more importantly, when is worth to express it. I'm very opinionated in a lot of things that I don't give enough f*ks to really care about other people understanding. Removing them…
May I ask you, what is a "diverse idea"?
Sure. By diversity of ideas I mean different models of reality.
It could be at different levels (more compartmentalized or more general). For example classic physics and quantic physics will give you 2 diverse ways to observe reality (one happens to include the other but that can be considered an accident).
When we're talking about more general diverse ideas, I mean the kind of diversity that leads to the understanding of different world views (or cosmovisions, as in having many different cosmic worldview of a society or civilization).
Re: Ask HN: How to be less opinionated?
#114I would suggest reading Paul Graham essay about identity. You have to avoid identifying yourself with your opinions. At least that works for me.
Re: Ask HN: How to be less opinionated?
#115I had a conversation recently with someone with very strong opinions. I quietly listened to their point of view. I concluded they were talking nonsense and don't plan to engage in any further deep conversation with the person. And this is my point, opinionated people can quietly lose their audience.
Re: Ask HN: How to be less opinionated?
#116No post body was provided.
Re: Ask HN: How to be less opinionated?
#117Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm intrigued. Why do you think that is being a sycophant? Which bit do you not like?
Advocating a particular position based on how you think your boss will react is the behavior of a sycophant and unprofessional. If you have a technical role, it’s your responsibility to advocate based on technical reasons. If you are highly uncertain, either do more research and experimentation or refrain from adding your opinion.
The premise is not having a strong technical position either way. It is advocating a consistent position - we should be effective at whatever we do next.
You'll notice that both scenarios involve a careful treatment of the risks involved, there is no point in looking for opportunities if the person responsible for choosing the level of risk tolerance doesn't want to tolerate the risk of looking. The only thing being modulated is enthusiasm for leaping into an uncertain situation.
Re: Ask HN: How to be less opinionated?
#118“Bees don't waste their time explaining to flies that honey is better than shit.”
I really should try and live this a bit more.