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To all the 'justified in my bitterness' responses: Yes, it's hard work being more knowledgeable, productive, smarter, better, than people around you. This is particularly a problem in software development since it takes an intense and often fleeting concentration to be really productive. Interruptions, especially those stemming from the ignorance or poor choices of others, provoke an immediate frustration and bitterness which seems (and probably is) justified. Being justified, however, doesn't mean it's helpful. When I'm faced with these situations I often find myself analyzing in my head all the reasons that I shouldn't have to deal with this, why the person who brought it up is an idiot, how much better it would be if I could just be left to get things done. None of this thinking is productive, or even gratifying, except in the shallowest sense. As hard as it is, the appropriate response to ignorance, idiocy, or other negative stimuli is NOT to be negative, but instead focus on positive solutions. Change the system where you can (as close to the source as possible) but don't compound wasted time by spending your energy being bitter about it. |