.. title: "Why I Hate Advocacy"
.. slug: advocacy
.. date: 2005-06-03 11:15:27
.. tags: dev, communities

<p>
  I discovered <a href="http://www.perl.com/pub/a/2000/12/advocacy.html">"Why 
  I hate Advocacy"</a> from 
  <a href="http://changelog.complete.org/node/321">jgoerzen</a>.
</p>
<p>
  I encounter this regularly when talking about operating systems, programming
  languages, text editors, and even non-technical things like car manufacturers,
  methods for making coffee, types of beer, music, politics, ....  I never 
  connected it with a "want to be part of the tribe" behavior.  I wonder if 
  this behavior is something that's relatively recent or dates back to primitive 
  man.  Regardless, it makes it difficult to discuss things in a rational, 
  objective manner to understand what's really going on and the nuances involved.
</p>
<p>
  Also on jgoerzen's blog entry is a link to 
  <a href="http://www.scottberkun.com/essays/essay40.htm">"Why smart people
  defend bad ideas"</a>.  Reading the two essays back to back was really
  funky.
</p>