[the_bear]

So you're suggesting that because some people are bad at weighing information, anything based on personal experience should be downvoted? Successful entrepreneurs should no longer give advice? Programmers shouldn't weigh in on programming issues unless they're citing third-party research? Marketers can't suggest tips for how to promote a startup because it's possible their methods aren't universally successful?

[loup-vaillant]

It's just not some people. It's everyone. Including you, me, and those who know about the various failure modes.

And please don't straw man me. Personal experience is mostly great. Successful entrepreneurs may have better decision making processes, not just more luck. Programming issues should be weighted on, since there are so little reliable studies here, and the field is so young. Etc. I was just talking about the cases when the evidence that contradicts the anecdote is solid and definite.

[JoeAltmaier]

Disagree. Successful entrepreneurs are lottery winners with attitude, by and large. The programming field is no longer young, we should give up that old excuse. And no you are not being straw-manned, the argument is. Good to not take things personal here.

Studies are necessarily narrow and context-laden, even 'solid and definite' ones. The suggestion to automatically downvote anecdotes is too broad, and should be refuted.

[loup-vaillant]

> Successful entrepreneurs are lottery winners with attitude, by and large.

Possibly. Actually I don't know. Anyone knowledgeable should disregard my opinion.

> The programming field is no longer young, we should give up that old excuse.

Right. However, I don't feel like we're anywhere near clearing the chaos around the psychology of programming. I still don't know for instance why so many people cannot understand functional programming, which I personally find simpler than procedural programming in most cases I deal with. Or why technical debt doesn't seem to be taken seriously. Programming is several decades old, but it still feels young to me.

> And no you are not being straw-manned, the argument is. Good to not take things personal here.

Hmm, yes, I was too aggressive here. Sorry.

> Studies are necessarily narrow and context-laden, even 'solid and definite' ones.

Ah, I didn't think of this danger. You're right, we at the very least need safeguards. Like, tying downvotes to reasons why they happen, so we (high karma users, moderators?) may be able to nullify those which turn out to be bogus. But that's complicated.

Or, maybe we could just not downvote, but point out in a reply that this is contrarian anecdotal evidence?

[JoeAltmaier]

Yes; it would be wonderful if comments could be categorized. Something like meta tags, created by the community or automatically even. I would like that; it would be like an extra conscience telling me "This guy was making an observation, not an argument; target your response correctly".