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The Grugbrained CEO

sam-rodriques.com

1–10 of 19 posts

Re: The Grugbrained CEO

#2
This is a genuine question, not trying to yuck someone's yum. I don't understand this style of writing. I can't really relate to the humor. Can someone explain the laugh people get from this?

Re: The Grugbrained CEO

#3
post #2

This is a genuine question, not trying to yuck someone's yum. I don't understand this style of writing. I can't really relate to the humor. Can someone explain the laugh people get from this?

It was entertainingly novel the first time I saw it, but every copycat since then just feels like desperate bandwagoning.

Re: The Grugbrained CEO

#4
post #2

This is a genuine question, not trying to yuck someone's yum. I don't understand this style of writing. I can't really relate to the humor. Can someone explain the laugh people get from this?

Smart people pretending they're dumb. Juxtaposition is funny. Explaining jokes makes them less funny. Is fine.

Re: The Grugbrained CEO

#5
post #2

This is a genuine question, not trying to yuck someone's yum. I don't understand this style of writing. I can't really relate to the humor. Can someone explain the laugh people get from this?

I'm kind of with you. I like oddball narration, but only if it's funny or entertaining. This is neither, I'm afraid.

I'm not sure what I'm missing.

Re: The Grugbrained CEO

#6
post #2

This is a genuine question, not trying to yuck someone's yum. I don't understand this style of writing. I can't really relate to the humor. Can someone explain the laugh people get from this?

It both teaches ppl who don't know yet, and "weirds"[1] things for people who already know, by framing it in a "dressed down" way.

[1]: "weird" in the sense that it turns it upside down, to make the familiar unfamiliar and give new perspective. As described better in this article: https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2016/09/22/speak-weirdness-to-tru...

Re: The Grugbrained CEO

#7
post #2

This is a genuine question, not trying to yuck someone's yum. I don't understand this style of writing. I can't really relate to the humor. Can someone explain the laugh people get from this?

The original is great. It was a stylistic choice which drove the point home that the simple, dumb, caveman part of your brain can be wise.

Re: The Grugbrained CEO

#9
Yeah, I dunno. This seems to have really missed the mark.

I do think the original[1] is worth a read. Even if I didn't like the style, I can appreciate the message: complexity is a cost, spend your complexity budget on things that matter, take the 80/20 Pareto win, no silver bullet, Chesterton's fence, etc. Importantly, the original is ever so slightly self-deprecating in a way that the intended audience can appreciate.

Compare this quote from the OP.

> Even when new grug shout loudly, important not to give new grug too much shiny rock. Why? First: make sure new grug really want to join tribe, make tribe strong.

Those who have read enough startup executive "thought leadership" probably recognize this idea: don't hire people who care about competitive compensation - those who work for passion will accept less. For the record, I personally think this idea is inherently toxic and exploitative - but let's put that aside for a moment. Even if one were to accept that idea as valid, this framing comes off as infantilizing. The same tone that was at least arguably acceptable for self-deprecation is entirely inappropriate for deprecating others.

I can only imagine this guy's employees are going to have a bad time.

[1]: https://grugbrain.dev/

Re: The Grugbrained CEO

#10
post #2

This is a genuine question, not trying to yuck someone's yum. I don't understand this style of writing. I can't really relate to the humor. Can someone explain the laugh people get from this?

I totally understand not getting why it's valuable - I'm not 100% on board either. But you're asking why it's funny to talk like a caveman? You might as well ask why farts are funny.

Maybe this one's execution isn't great, and maybe the joke doesn't work at this length - but the origin of the humor? Not to be insulting, but that's akin to a Lieutenant Commander Data question...

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