[philsnow]

Is there a sector of the community that is okay to ostracize with word choice?

I can't imagine why you would have written,

> Chocolate is toxic to dogs - it doesn't mean that chocolate is dangerous in all circumstances.

if you didn't think that.

[klibertp]

> Is there a sector of the community that is okay to ostracize with word choice?

For sure. I'm an example. And I have a reason for this.

I remember myself from some ten years ago and I remember how far from reality my thinking was. I was largely self-taught, but I read many, many books and even wrote quite a bit of working code. I wish someone told me how naive I was, how mistaken in many areas. Instead, I went on to work - having quite a good luck and joining a very capable, professional team - and was in for the most depressing half a year in my life. All my teammates helped, and gradually I started seeing things in context and learned to appreciate all the accidental complexity and real-life requirements. However, this still was a terrifying experience for me and I'd be much better off, I think, had someone told me, without trying to be unnecessarily polite, how stupid and childish I was BEFORE I went and got bitch-slapped hard (repeatedly) by reality.

So yeah, I have no motivation to do this myself, because young programmers are indeed insufferable, but I cheer for everyone who tries to destroy the false, unfounded confidence of "young programmers". I strongly believe it will be good for these younglings in the long run.

[oh_sigh]

Your post is toxic to me. Please don't ask me what that means.

Or: Sure. How about murderers? They are frequently described as inhuman, barbaric, etc. Was that really the point you were trying to make, or is there something else you are getting at?

[philsnow]

I grant you that it's less bad to ostracize "murderers" than "[insufferable,] young programmers".

That doesn't put ostracizing young programmers in the plus column.

[oh_sigh]

You asked: Is there a sector of the community that is okay to ostracize with word choice?

I responded. Explain yourself more precisely if you want me to consider your point...