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Avoid These Words (And Not Just at Work)

Adam Savage’s Tested · commentary · Watch on YouTube

Management, leadership & organizationsProductivity & self-improvement

What it is

Adam Savage answers viewer questions on dealing with condescending colleagues, focusing on dismissive phrases such as 'why don't you just' and 'I would have'. He explains why such language undermines the person receiving it.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN recommends it whenever 'why don't you just...' comes up as an example of arrogant, dismissive advice.

  • 3 people recommended it
  • 3 different months
  • 1 strong recommendations
  • first 2024, last 2024

What HN commenters said

  1. “Adam Savage has a most excellent rant about the outrageous arrogance of the phrase, "Why don't you just..." I highly recommend it”

    Rant on the arrogance of 'Why don't you just...'

    bityard, 2024-09 · Strong recommendation · in “Xkcd 1425 (Tasks) turns ten years old today”

  2. “Possibly the article talked about in this relevant video from Adam Savage”

    Why phrases like 'why don't you just' feel bad to receive.

    RadiozRadioz, 2024-08 · Recommendation · in “Why Don't You Just”

  3. “It reminds me of this Adam Savage video that I think is great”

    Great video on dismissive problem-solving language.

    bradjohnson, 2024-11 · Recommendation · in “Only 5.3% of US welders are women. After years as a professor, I became one”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: feedback, condescension, collaboration, advice, adam savage

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