[freefrancisco]

I am a maker, I am self-made, I am not indebted, and my job is damn sexy. The fact that I stand in the shoulders of giants does not mean that I am not self-made. We all make our choices given the opportunities available, some of us choose some things, some of us choose others. Given that we make our choices and everybody around us is free to make their own choices, we are not indebted to anybody. We might be generous out of good will, but I refuse to accept any unearned guilt for my success, or any debt or duty that I did not incur. I love my job and I think it is damn sexy. If I didn't, I would do something else.

[ipince]

So everyone is self-made? What does that even mean anyway?

[freefrancisco]

It means that we have free will, that we make our own choices which determine the rest of our lives, and that different people can make different choices and make different lives. As far as character it means that once you make a choice often enough you are more likely to make that choice, and it becomes your character, who you are.

[guylhem]

Which should be the #1 comment for this article that's based on the currently popular of guilt, and pride in feeling guilty.

We build on own success - each one of us. Being successful is not making a debt to someone - and even more so to society. And being successful is sexy!

You got at least my mod point, and hopefully more will come, but IMHO we should be very worried that such misconceptions are getting so popular :-(

[freefrancisco]

Thanks for the mod point, I completely agree with you. I find it very worrisome that such ideas are getting popular among developers. If you want to destroy a people, destroy their self esteem first. I for one, do not welcome my unearned guilt dispensing overlords.