[alecbz]

Afaik the last 3-4 are actually largely his personal projects that he probably built most of himself. But yeah, kinda agree for the other ones, the phrasing feels a little self-aggrandizing to my ear. Not sure how intentional it is though, that kind of phrasing I think sort just sneaks into the lexicon for some.

[1-6]

So basically a Googler, nonetheless.

[alecbz]

Have you found Googlers to be self-aggrandizing on average? That's not been my experience working there. (But might be different for "Googlers who talk a lot/are well-known publicly".)

[MonkeyMalarky]

From the outside peering in, the only Googlers are the ones who talk a lot or loudly leverage their ex-googler status on other projects.

[cmrdporcupine]

It's our way of trying to make something out of all the lost years working away in the salt^H^H^H^Hprotobuf mines. We have to use the 'leverage' because all else we'd have left is money in the bank account and skill sets incompatible with most other places in the industry.

[fragmede]

Well but the ones who aren't loud and don't bring it up constantly, you wouldn't know that about them.

[MonkeyMalarky]

That's exactly my point.

[alecbz]

Right, that's what I meant. I don't think the average Googler is self-aggrandizing, but if you don't work at Google or have a big friend circle that works there, then there's a selection bias for the Googlers you do know.

[hnfong]

I'm just speculating, but it might be due to all the practice with writing promo packets...

[seneca]

Heh, as much as I hate painting with that wide of a brush it does seem accurate. Something about Google breeds hubris and self aggrandizement.

[dylan604]

There are certain phrases that just saying them as a matter of fact will always risk sounding self aggrandizing.

"I work for Google" has become one. "I'm a Googler" just has me pivot and walk away.

Another infamous one, "I work at the White House."

[pm90]

> Something about Google breeds hubris and self aggrandizement.

This is true about any successful institution in general. I noticed it first with Universities but it applies to jobs as well.

[wawjgreen]

I know an MIT PhD (natural sciences) who thinks too highly of herself--when I beat her in the Chinese game of Wuziqi (She's Chinese and has beaten the computer and played nearly all her 20+ years), she was so pissed off....She still had that hubris and self-aggrandizement though, until she discovered by chance, that I used to teach mathematics at one of her Alma maters. After that she became sort of an enemy. This is the problem with self-aggrandizing people.