I first saw this film when I was a kid, and it made a lasting impression on me. Unfortunately, it feels like the lesson of the film has not been learned: too many "geniuses" over the past 40 years have failed to consider the negative social consequences of the technology that they create. These naive geniuses are all too happy to solve technical problems and cash paychecks given to them by powers that turn out to be malevolent (despite draping themselves in a costume of benevolence).
Question authority, and question your own role in the power structure. It's a moral imperative.
Also a lot of lessons for the average tech employee - working long hours for some goal and then at the end realize it’s going to be used for evil and you’re all about to get laid off anyway.
Real Genius was one of the things that helped me to soldier on through my (terrible) high school experience surrounded by bullies and knuckleheads, knowing that if I was lucky, I could have at least a good four years afterwards "among my own people." And as you said, it also helped to lay the ethical foundation of always looking at the potential applications of technology before deciding to work on it. Too few software "engineers" have taken that lesson to heart.
Heavy lifting for a silly 80s comedy movie.
Pro tip look for an industry that works for big capable customers that can defend themselves. Helps to create a structure of accountability inside a company that you can connect to as someone trying to have a positive career. Doesn't mean everything will be perfect, but it is easier than pushing against the stream in a company that "serves"[1] a disaggregated (and thus mostly defenseless) customer base.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Serve_Man_(The_Twilight_Zon...
Lots of authority-questioning…
From the perspective of conspiratorial thinking, fringe “I’m special because I see the surprising, simple real key to everything” economic schools, and anti-enlightenment politics :-(
Trying to make oneself into the unquestionable authority isn't questioning authority.
You're absolutely right, and, while it's good for life-karma, it's not so good for HN-karma.
No one bullies harder than the nerds around here. Such a hateful bunch of ignorant fools.
Of course, that doesn't apply to everyone here, for sure -- some people are absolutely lovely, like DonHopkins -- but perhaps 90%.
But that's always the problem with majorities, they follow the lead of their leader, and damn their conscience and other points of view, wielding their power like a cudgel. They tend to bully minorities of every kind, especially ideological minorities.
"There is nothing more important than compassion, and only the truth is its equal."
> No one bullies harder than the nerds around here. Such a hateful bunch of ignorant fools.
I’m not sure if this is true. We’re all people, and people have tendencies to other others and seek belonging, that can hurt people.
I don’t think this community is particularly bad. And I’ll add that it’s probably the most “civil” of all the sites I’ve used over the years (usenet, slashdot, fark, lobste.rs, kuroshin, plastic, digg, reddit, netslaves, 4chan).
Ignorant fools, perhaps. But bullies, I don’t think so.
I think HN is coming around, slowly.
Years ago, if you so much as suggested that a software developer had any ethical culpability when their software was used for evil, you'd have the entire peanut gallery at your throat. "How dare you blame the developer. It's his manager's fault! It's the company's fault! He can't control how his software is used! He's just implementing a turret pointing algorithm. It's not his fault who the user aims it at!"
I think years of seeing the real-world fallout of ethically questionable tech projects is finally starting to soften that stance. You're not just pushing protobufs around. Look up once in a while and see how your work is being deployed! You're doing this!