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Comment by doyouevensunbro | Hacker News Reader

Shamelessness doesn't have to only be used for nefarious purposes. I know engineers on my team suffer from imposter syndrome. I do not because I just always assume I know nothing :) I have no problem in a meeting or architecture review saying "Can you explain that a bit simpler for me" or something to that effect. Having the team understand the tasks at hand is way more important to me than what people think about me.

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> I do not because I just always assume I know nothing :)

What you likely do have is a sense of certainty that "knowing nothing" will not cause you to be rejected by your peers. It's easy to say you don't understand something when you don't fear that others will find your ignorance makes you unworthy.

But those with imposter syndrome feel that unworthiness directly. They don't have that intrinsic sense of belonging that allows them to reveal a flaw without fear of rejection.

What he said resonates with me. I take the same stance and there is nothing you can exclude me from that will hurt me. If I'd lose a job or the chance to get a job because of this attitude then I'd be happy to not be put into that anxiety-inducing context. Actually, I'd rather die than be a part of this coercive system that manufactures problems so I am a bit on the hardcore side (especially since this has been put to the test and I have in fact almost died for this reason).

Natural selection will find the right environment for people who employ this approach. We will eventually be selected out of any environment that doesn’t value this behaviour, and will eventually succeed in an environment that does.

I definitely agree that the ability to admit when you don't understand something is extremely helpful. My favorite coworkers are the ones that I'm sure understand things because they're very willing to say when they don't.

  The beginning of knowing
  Is not knowing

I think the difference here is identifying with your work. I have no problem asking stupid questions, because being a software dev is just a job for me, and while I'd like people to think that I'm good at it, it doesn't affect me deeply if they don't. I have co-workers whose competence at their jobs is tied up with their own sense of self-worth, and it's much more difficult for them

Engineering is dealing with reality.

My lack of knowledge is just another part of that reality.

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