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Comment by languageserver | Hacker News Reader

> I remember this personality being common among programmers from eastern Europe

This is HN and I do not want to make a personal attack or anything against you. But this comment is clearly discriminatory and, frankly, what ever a light version of "racism" is. Please stop generalising millions of people based on some anecdote and spread it online. Eastern Europeans are already marginalized in the Western software world, and English is a non-native language to them. They are as diverse as you and me

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As a developer from Eastern Europe:

* it is true we are more blunt than a lot of our Western colleagues

* blunt does not mean impolite -- I always try to say what I mean with plenty of layers of courtesy, but I do not mince what I mean

* the guy in the article seems like an asshole by Eastern European standards too (mentioning "my charisma" is pretty egoistical no matter how you spin it)

> Eastern Europeans are already marginalized in the Western software world

Not completely wrong but I'd say the software industry is the place I have felt the least marginalized. I left Eastern Europe and finding a job in the software industry was very painless for me, while other places would wish for perfect command of the local language, or discriminated against me almost explicitly. Which leads me to your next point..

> English is a non-native language to them

While true, it is rather annoying to have people hold this over your head when you speak and think in English for decades. I'm more well-read than half my native English colleagues who haven't picked up a literature book since high school, yet being "non-native" means that I constantly have people doubting my ability to speak English. At least I no longer have to hand in TOEFL exams to prove I can speak the language that I think in 24/7, including when I'm talking with my workmates, girlfriend, showering, taking a shit etc..

As someone from Eastern Europe I can relate the comment of @projektfu to myself and I do not think the comment is derogatory. There is some work ethic in Warsaw pact countries that is totally absent elsewhere. A topic for a PhD in anthropology, for sure.

OTOH, Dutch are notoriously blunt as well.

The Dutch, the Israelis and everyone east and North of Germany. It's pretty refreshing in some respects, but the friction between these blunter and less blunt cultures can be massive.

The funny thing with Dutch is that Dutch speakers from Flanders are as much snowflake as everyone else.You really have to have this North Hollander protestant past to stand out.

As another Eastern European programmer, I would like to bluntly disagree with you as well.

You should read more about what racism is before you go around accusing other people. Or perhaps better, stop reading so much about racism that it makes you confuse a personality trait with a race. Such a personality is common among young white left men, please stop spreading that online. It does not contribute to diversity, but only divides.

You're right it's not racism, but it's cultural stereotyping and it's still a pretty shitty broad brush to paint people with.

Why? Nobody said one is better than the other. Are you going to pretend all cultures are the same? if you've ever traveled or lived abroad, you will quickly come to the conclusion that there are major differences in how (say) Eastern Europeans approach communication vs people from the US. And that's okay. Nobody needs to be offended.

I live in Eastern Europe (Bulgaria). I have lived all my life in Bulgaria. OP has it spot on. Stop being "offended" on my behalf. I would much rather be stereotyped, offended, called names, discriminated against, etc. rather than have one of your ilk try to come to my defence.

This extreme response seems to make no sense either :)

I appreciate your input :)

Culture exists.

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