Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

Now realize that this applies to everything, not just computers. Unless you've walked a mile in their shoes, you don't really understand the struggles of LGBTQ folks, the homeless, CEOs, assembly line workers... They will try to tell you, but you can't tell people anything, unless you're telling someone with good imagination and empathy.



I deeply appreciate your point that lack of understanding goes both downward (homeless) and upward (CEOs.) I think that's true.

But - unrelated to your point - I think there's more empathy (or understanding, at least) - unexpectedly - downwards. A CEO knows how to become homeless (quit job, give away house and money) if they chose to for some reason. A homeless person has no path to CEO.


> quit job, give away house and money

Is not how people become homeless. There's no path to empathy there.


Perhaps in theory, but not in practice. In practice those "on top" either lack empathy from the start, or learn to disconnect it early on.


How do you know?




Join us for AI Startup School this June 16-17 in San Francisco!

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: