Final Statement on the LambdaConf Controversy

> In March 2016, the organizers of [LambdaConf] announced that they would include neo-reactionary Curtis Yarvin on the program despite widespread protest.

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http://www.breitbart.com/tech/2016/03/29/sjws-urge-programmi...

> LambdaConf, an annual gathering of programmers in Boulder, Colorado, has faced calls from social justice warriors to cancel a talk by Curtis Yarvin, the developer of the Urbit programming environment, due to his political views.

Re: Final Statement on the LambdaConf Controversy

#6

Post by ng12 » Mon, Apr 11, 2016, 11:16 PM UTC

How crazy -- I'm vaguely familiar with Curtis' work, and would have never known (or cared) about his political views until the people looking to "no platform" him gave him a platform.

Streisand effect, people.

Re: Final Statement on the LambdaConf Controversy

#7

Post by sremani » Mon, Apr 11, 2016, 11:16 PM UTC

swampthinker wrote: post #3

Sorry, I guess I've been living under a rock. What's the context for this?

A controversial speaker and subsequent protests, what is inclusive and what is right. Open Bazaar vs Safe Space debate of the Conferences.

For an average person who is interested in functional programming this is a side show, but since we all are now about "Culture", this is one more phase of Culture wars.

Re: Final Statement on the LambdaConf Controversy

#8

Post by brokentone » Mon, Apr 11, 2016, 11:18 PM UTC

This is really a wonderful post. Too many open source projects, conferences, and the like have turned into witch hunts by, as John mentions, the morality police. Maintainers are bullied into adopting CoCs even if there have been no issues at all in their community, and distancing themselves from valued members of their community for something dumb they may have said or done in entirely different contexts or years ago.

The whole set of posts John has provided on the matter have been extremely fair and thoughtful.

Re: Final Statement on the LambdaConf Controversy

#9

Post by douche » Mon, Apr 11, 2016, 11:19 PM UTC

This is probably the most reasonable response to these sorts of pressures I've ever seen. One can hope that other groups will follow their lead and strive to act like fully-grown, professional, adults.

I'm sure they'll get eviscerated for it, though.

Re: Final Statement on the LambdaConf Controversy

#10

Post by marklyon » Mon, Apr 11, 2016, 11:19 PM UTC

hoodoof wrote: post #4

Seems conferences are quite a controversial thing these days.

Agreed. In addition to "codes of conduct" that seem to assume all attendees are lecherous, racist rapists some conferences step outside their focus and end up turning away potential attendees. For example, this military member who really seems to be the target market for DjangoCon but who can't attend due to past pro-marijuana speakers. https://www.reddit.com/r/django/comments/4dihy4/django_train...