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41</head> 42<body class="overlord blog"> 43<style scoped> 44figure.avatar a, 45figure#user_logo a, 46figure#user_foot a, 47nav#overlord.user_top figure#logo_top a, 48figure.kudo.complete div.filling { 49 background-image: url('https://svbtleusercontent.com/b7nkPG7EpCauxLRfHQky7g02380xsuap_medium.png') 50} 51 52figure.kudo.activated div.filling, 53figure.kudo.complete div.filling { 54 background-color: #F3A500; 55} 56 57figure.kudo.activated a, 58figure.kudo.complete a { 59 border-color: #F3A500; 60} 61 62blockquote, 63a blockquote, 64div#readnext:hover span.flank_title, 65div#foot_more:hover a, 66div#foot_userbar a#bottom_tagline span:hover, 67article.linked h1.article_title a:hover, 68a.continue_button:hover, 69article p a:hover, 70ul#lightning_drop, 71figure#user_foot, 72ul#user_links li a:hover, 73ul#foot_links li a:hover, 74a.buttonize:hover, 75button.buttonize:hover, 76a.buttonize.outline:hover, 77button.buttonize.outline:hover, 78nav.pagination span.next a:hover, 79nav.pagination span.prev a:hover, 80section#readnext:hover p span, 81nav#overlord.user_top figure#logo_top { 82 border-color: #F3A500; 83} 84/*figure#user_logo,*/ 85 86figure.avatar, 87nav#overlord.user_top figure#logo_top a, 88ul#user_links li a:hover, 89ul#foot_links li a:hover, 90a.buttonize:hover, 91button.buttonize:hover, 92a.buttonize.outline:hover, 93button.buttonize.outline:hover, 94nav.pagination span.next a:hover, 95nav.pagination span.prev a:hover, 96figure#user_logo a, 97figure#user_foot a { 98 background-color: #F3A500; 99} 100 101h6.separator_title.read_first, 102header#user_top h2 a, 103footer#blog_foot h5 a, 104article.post h1 a:hover, 105div.preview strong, 106nav#overlord h2#nav_title.user_top a, 107section#readnext:hover h3, 108section#readnext:hover p span { 109 color: #F3A500; 110} 111 112@keyframes titlePulse 113 { 114 0% { 115 color: #000000; 116 } 117 50% { 118 color: #F3A500; 119 } 120 100% { 121 color: #000000; 122 } 123} 124 125@-moz-keyframes titlePulse 126 { 127 0% { 128 color: #000000; 129 } 130 50% { 131 color: #F3A500; 132 } 133 100% { 134 color: #000000; 135 } 136} 137 138@-webkit-keyframes titlePulse 139 { 140 0% { 141 color: #000000; 142 } 143 50% { 144 color: #F3A500; 145 } 146 100% { 147 color: #000000; 148 } 149} 150 151 152</style> 153 154<figure id="loading"> </figure> 155<nav id="overlord" class="user_top"> 156 <div id="lockup" class=""> 157 <figure id="logo_top" class=" user_top"> 158 <a href="/">Svbtle</a> 159 </figure> 160 <h2 id="nav_title" class="user_top"><a href="http://byfat.xxx">@ fat</a></h2> 161 </div> 162 <figure id="hamburger"> 163 <a href="#menu" id="hamburger_button">Menu</a> 164 </figure> 165 <ul id="dropdown" class="onblog"> 166 <li class="dropdown_message"> 167 <a href="https://svbtle.com">@ fat is writing on the <span class="logoize">Svbtle</span> network.</a> 168 </li> 169 <li><a href="https://code.byfat.xxx" target="_blank">code.byfat.xxx</a></li> 170 <li><a href="https://x.com/fat" class="xdotcom" target="_blank">@fat</a></li> 171 <li><a href="/feed">rss feed</a></li> 172 <li style="margin: 0; padding: 0;"><hr class="overlord_nav" /></li> 173 <li><a href="https://svbtle.com/about">about svbtle</a></li> 174 <li><a href="https://svbtle.com/signup">sign up</a></li> 175 </ul> 176</nav> 177<div id="whiteout"></div> 178 179<section id="container" class="blog user_post"> 180 <article id="p6cujzWNgEHBMDsx3ruEK4" class="post historical"> 181 <time datetime="2012-08-17" class="article_time">August 17, 2012</time> 182 <h1 class="article_title"> 183 <a href="http://byfat.xxx/burn-your-idols">YES PLS LETS BURNNNN</a> 184 </h1> 185 <p><em>Todayâs contribution comes from another good friend of mine, [Divya Manian](//twitter.com/divya). Worried that my introduction was sounding a bit too âofficious"⦠Iâll just say I met Divya on a boat full of JavaScript nerds in Austin, where she went on at length about how she hated how i wrote code. Despite this, sheâs incredibly talented, well read, and offers a really interesting perspective on web development and the community at large. You should definitely also check out her writing <a href="http://nimbupani.com/index.html">here</a> and please, let us know what you think on [twitter](//twitter.com/divya)!</em></p> 186 187<hr> 188 189<p>From <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozymandias">Ozymandias</a>
189 by Percy Bysshe Shelley:</p> 190<blockquote><p>And on the pedestal these words appear:<br><br> 191"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:<br><br> 192Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!â<br><br> 193Nothing beside remains. Round the decay<br><br> 194Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare<br><br> 195The lone and level sands stretch far away.<br></p> 196</blockquote> 197<p>I have been an idol-worshipper for a long time. First, it was the gods of my religion and then it was gods of the community that gave me my career. So much so I <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nimbupani/sets/72157617833210555/with/3516240113/">even drew their faces and asked for their autographs</a>. </p> 198<h2 id="crisis-of-faith_2">Crisis of Faith <a class="head_anchor" href="#crisis-of-faith_2">#</a></h2> 199<p>By mid 2009, I realised how much my idolatry let me assume there was nothing I could do to change anything. Here are the great people who do things, I marvelled. What could I do? They advocated all the best practices I adopted: Using XHTML, jQuery, semantic tags, reading their books and not reading the specifications, and so on. </p> 200 201<p><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/inline_fat_24214108542948_raw.jpg" alt="idol.jpg"></p> 202 203<p>But, they did not tell me how to deal with massive sites and projects I was dealing with, or jQuery plugins that were ridiculously slow. Everywhere I tried to ask answers, I was told to do the work involved in figuring out the answers myself. I found work more and more challenging where my superstitious beliefs of what were right or wrong no longer worked. It was time for me to find my own way.</p> 204<h2 id="enlightenment_2">Enlightenment <a class="head_anchor" href="#enlightenment_2">#</a></h2> 205<p>My quest for knowledge led me through strange roads. I realised specifications were not that terrible to read after all (contrary to everything my idols told me), and semantics were not that significant even after 20 years of effort to make them extraordinarily so, XML was dead on arrival almost (and yet in 2009 all of my idols were recommending XHTML as a future-proof⢠technology). I soon discovered there have been others who have been yelling from the roof tops about these very same issues yet their words never got beyond their insignificant audience. </p> 206 207<p>I was very disappointed. Immediately, I wanted to blame my idols for my ignorance, but then I realised they did nothing wrong. Everyone has the right to make their views public, but I have the responsibility of accepting a view as mine. In my adulation, I had created a world of excuses and laziness: where I was always the recipient, the silent living corpse feeding off idols, and attempting to learn vicariously, ignorant and unwilling to call bullshit when I see it - much like a silent audience for a lynching. </p> 208 209<p>Idolisation makes it hard for idols to <u>not</u> feel like one. Fame and popularity is addictive. It is tempting to take actions that would bring more of it. It makes it harder to admit you were wrong and make contrarian statements because you may be lynched for that. It is not only hard to express opinions in your field of expertise, but also about anything in general, because you are now sought after for your views on everything under the sun even though you are simply someone who has extensive experience in a very niche field. </p> 210 211<p>By idolising people, I gave up on my opportunity to change the world, learn something exhilaratingly new, call out the wrongs done, and contribute to right some of the wrongs. Since seeing the light, I helped bring <a href="http://html5boilerplate.com">HTML5 Boilerplate</a> to reality, <a href="http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/current-work/multipage/acknowledgements.html#acknowledgements">contributed to the HTML5 Specification</a>, <a href="http://movethewebforward.org">outlined actions other developers can take to be more actively involved in web standards</a>, maintained <a href="http://html5please.com">HTML5 Please</a> to help developers choose which of HTML5 technologies are ready to use, and <a href="http://w3fools.com">dissuaded the use of W3Schools</a> and <a href="http://nimbupani.com/categories/web-development/">documented everything I learned in the process</a>. None of these required any particular skill or talent, they are merely results of taking an action. </p> 212<h2 id="idols-pay-it-forward_2">Idols, pay it forward <a class="head_anchor" href="#idols-pay-it-forward_2">#</a></h2> 213<p>If you are one of those idolized, it is tempting to keep seeking fame & credit, but I assert greater satisfaction comes from using the platform to push and promote more deserving projects and areas that should get the attention of the audience you have. If you have connections that can help something better to happen, make it so. Admit to your ignorance, and be willing to learn from anyone. Encourage criticism, and <a href="http://nimbupani.com/this-revolution-needs-new-revolutionaries.html">promote the revolutionaries</a>. Always be learning and aware that this platform is ephemeral. Enjoy the ride, and get other deserving people to enjoy it with you.</p> 214<h2 id="idolizers-take-action_2">Idolizers, take action <a class="head_anchor" href="#idolizers-take-action_2">#</a></h2> 215<p>Every time you feel like idolising someone, pause. Think of all the projects they are involved in, contribute. Read what they write, verify facts, call them out when they are wrong (if <u>you</u>
215 are wrong, admit so), and learn. They will respect you significantly more and not treat you like yet another faceless fan they need to deal with. </p> 216 217<p>Donât buy every t-shirt they sell or every book they advertise. Donât assume every tool they advocate is the right one. But donât disparage them for âselling outâ or for false advertising when what they say or do is not consistent with your ideal of how they should be. </p> 218 219<p>Burn your idols but follow their paths.</p> 220 221 <figure class="postend kudo able clearfix" id="kudo_p6cujzWNgEHBMDsx3ruEK4"> 222 <a href="#kudo"> 223 <div class="filling"> </div> 224 </a> 225 <div class="num">1,686</div> 226 <div class="txt">Kudos</div> 227 </figure> 228 <figure class="side kudo able clearfix" id="kudo_side_p6cujzWNgEHBMDsx3ruEK4"> 229 <a href="#kudo"> 230 <div class="filling"> </div> 231 </a> 232 <div class="num">1,686</div> 233 <div class="txt">Kudos</div> 234 </figure> 235</article> 236 237</section> 238<section id="readnext"> 239 <a href="http://byfat.xxx/what-is-opensource-and-why-do-i-feel-so-guilty"> 240 <h4 class="readnext_header">Now read this</h4> 241 <h3 class="readnext_title">what is opensource and why do i feel so guilty?</h3> 242 <p class="readnext_content">Last November I was invited to speak in Paris. I had just taken a new job with a company called Obvious and I was pretty confident that this was going to be my last talk â maybe ever. I had been discussing/thinking about this idea of... <span class="continue_btn">Continue →</span></p> 243 </a> 244</section> 245<footer id="blog_foot" class="cf"> 246 <ul id="foot_links"> 247 <li><a href="https://x.com/fat">@fat</a></li> 248 <li><a href="https://code.byfat.xxx" >code.byfat.xxx</a></li> 249 </ul> 250 <figure id="user_foot"><a href="/">Svbtle</a></figure> 251 <h5><a href="http://byfat.xxx">@ fat</a></h5> 252</footer> 253<footer id="foot"> 254 <figure id="logo_foot"><a href="https://svbtle.com">Svbtle</a></figure> 255 <a href="https://svbtle.com/terms" style="color: #ccc; margin-left: 25px;">Terms</a> <span style="color: #ccc;">â¢</span> <a href="https://svbtle.com/privacy" style="color: #ccc;">Privacy</a> 256 <span style="color: #ccc;">â¢</span> <a href="https://svbtle.com/promise" style="color: #ccc; margin-right: 15px;">Promise</a> 257 <br/><br/> 258</footer> 259 260<div id="lights"> </div> 261<div id="app-data" data-name="svbtle" data-version="8.5-legible" data-magicNum="2572031820.15"></div><div id="px-data" data-ax="posts" data-sx="show"></div><div id="user-data" data-here="false" data-state="logged-out"></div><div id="blog-data" data-title="@ fat" data-blogname="fat" data-extid="ihnV5V64BTsuw3nHHu9qHx" data-color="F3A500" data-color-rgb="243,165,0" data-color-rgba="(243,165,0,0.5)" data-blog-tracker="UA-33088259-1"></div></body> 262</html>
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