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So, Linus Torvalds is a jerk (youtu.be)
submitted 1 year ago by Confidant6198@lemmy.ml to c/technology@beehaw.org
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/34037081

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[-] knokelmaat@beehaw.org 35 points 1 year ago

This is quite an old video, and lately he's been working on his communication issues. He fully admits that he's been a dick many times. This all escalated a couple of years ago where he even took a few months off and focussed solely on getting this fixed and getting help I believe.

Not to say he's perfect now, but I don't think we'll ever get this sort of catharsis from Elon, Trump, Bezos...

[-] BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca 32 points 1 year ago

That video was literally posted 10 years ago, it's been known for a long time that he's a jerk.

Doesn't change anything, we let really smart or really rich or really famous people get away with that shit anyways.

[-] TehPers@beehaw.org 23 points 1 year ago

we let really smart or really rich or really famous people get away with that shit anyways.

This. I think people overlook his behavior because despite the fact he was an unrelenting asshole, he also did (and continues to do) a lot of good for the world. He supposedly has also made an attempt to address it via anger management classes, though I'm not up to date on how that went.

Of course, why rich and famous people get away with it is another story, but their supporters ignore the terrible behavior for similar reasons.

[-] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 22 points 1 year ago

Yes, and so is Gates. Jobs too. Linus didn’t use it to milk his users though.

[-] jarfil@beehaw.org 13 points 1 year ago

RAGEBAIT

  • 10 years old video, from 2015
  • Already explained why he was that way: some guy worked for months on a patch to send it to Linus... and when Linus didn't think it was good enough, simply ignoring the guy... the guy killed himself.
  • In 2018, he also took some time off to work on his leadership style.

Key takeaways:

  • "Linus Towards is a jerk", is incredibly reductive.
  • People can change over time.
[-] megopie@beehaw.org 11 points 1 year ago

This is known. There are many jerks in the world.

But at the end of a the day, a jerk with good principles is better than the nicest person with none.

[-] Confidant6198@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Believing that basic human decency must be earned on the basis on intellectual achievements is “good principle”?

Saying “respect must be earned” but giving disrespect freely and abundantly is good principle?

This argument is just a cult of intellect even to the detriment of society, low-key eugenics.

[-] ranandtoldthat@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago

I think it's pretty likely that without some "good principles" Torvalds would not have been able to admit his faults and begin working on them.

I think getting upset about how he used to behave isn't very helpful, once he's acknowledged and apologized.

[-] Confidant6198@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 year ago

He didn’t admit his fault. He just validated his ideology and told other people that they don’t have to work with him.

He is pretty much normalizing abusive behavior and rationalizing it by saying that he is not politically correct and that respect is earned.

[-] ranandtoldthat@beehaw.org 5 points 1 year ago

You are mistaken. His admission is well-documented. Check my links in another comment in this thread.

[-] Confidant6198@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 year ago

Admitting something because you are called out on it is the same as apologizing for saying racist shit on tv. It is all performative and wouldnt happen if people wouldnt have made it public

[-] ranandtoldthat@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago

It feels a little... Calvinist to not allow for people to improve themselves over their life.

Personally, I think it's a good thing when someone with a reputation like Linus Torvald, or Tim Hardaway, or even George Wallace improves themself and their impact on those around them. Such improvement should be encouraged in others, not condemned as performative.

[-] Confidant6198@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 year ago

And it feels very naive to believe that people change just because they are called out on it and they have to say so to save whatever is left of their reputation. It is even more naive to believe so when the guy hasn’t improve a tiny bit.

Saying that he improved and we should just shut up about it just because he said so, it is literal gaslighting dressed in “just put the other cheek” masochism and giving green light to abuser just because they lie about their supposed improvement

[-] ranandtoldthat@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago

I didn't tell you told you to "shut up", I've pointed out some of the the flaws/harm in your method of criticism. Others in this thread have also tried to help you understand the issue here. It's up to you whether you choose to accept it and focus your energy on other topics. Nobody is going to force you.

Ultimately, people do improve. Look inward. Hove you ever improved? If so, realize others can, too. Linus Torvald has, by accounts of people who know and work with him, as did the other examples I gave.

All the best to you and yours.

[-] yetAnotherUser@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago

I understand your point, but there is a ton of cases where a person does not realize they did something wrong until they are called out, because they really think that what they did isn't wrong.

[-] Dsklnsadog@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 year ago

Honesty is such an odd practice that some people hate it.

[-] ranandtoldthat@beehaw.org 16 points 1 year ago

Honesty and hostility are not the same. You can call code bad without cursing someone out or belittling their existence.

Linus himself admitted years ago to being a hostile jerk, and realized it had a negative impact on his life and projects. He took time to improve upon this. See my other comment for some sources.

[-] SweetCitrusBuzz@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago

Kill your heroes 😉

[-] Banzai51@midwest.social 0 points 1 year ago

If you had to wade through all the arguments in the Linux kernal "discussions" you'd be a jerk too.

this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2025
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