this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2025
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Technology
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This is known. There are many jerks in the world.
But at the end of a the day, a jerk with good principles is better than the nicest person with none.
That's the nicest thing anyone ever said to me.
Believing that basic human decency must be earned on the basis on intellectual achievements is “good principle”?
Saying “respect must be earned” but giving disrespect freely and abundantly is good principle?
This argument is just a cult of intellect even to the detriment of society, low-key eugenics.
I think it's pretty likely that without some "good principles" Torvalds would not have been able to admit his faults and begin working on them.
I think getting upset about how he used to behave isn't very helpful, once he's acknowledged and apologized.
He didn’t admit his fault. He just validated his ideology and told other people that they don’t have to work with him.
He is pretty much normalizing abusive behavior and rationalizing it by saying that he is not politically correct and that respect is earned.
You are mistaken. His admission is well-documented. Check my links in another comment in this thread.
Admitting something because you are called out on it is the same as apologizing for saying racist shit on tv. It is all performative and wouldnt happen if people wouldnt have made it public
I understand your point, but there is a ton of cases where a person does not realize they did something wrong until they are called out, because they really think that what they did isn't wrong.
It feels a little... Calvinist to not allow for people to improve themselves over their life.
Personally, I think it's a good thing when someone with a reputation like Linus Torvald, or Tim Hardaway, or even George Wallace improves themself and their impact on those around them. Such improvement should be encouraged in others, not condemned as performative.
And it feels very naive to believe that people change just because they are called out on it and they have to say so to save whatever is left of their reputation. It is even more naive to believe so when the guy hasn’t improve a tiny bit.
Saying that he improved and we should just shut up about it just because he said so, it is literal gaslighting dressed in “just put the other cheek” masochism and giving green light to abuser just because they lie about their supposed improvement
I didn't tell you told you to "shut up", I've pointed out some of the the flaws/harm in your method of criticism. Others in this thread have also tried to help you understand the issue here. It's up to you whether you choose to accept it and focus your energy on other topics. Nobody is going to force you.
Ultimately, people do improve. Look inward. Hove you ever improved? If so, realize others can, too. Linus Torvald has, by accounts of people who know and work with him, as did the other examples I gave.
All the best to you and yours.