I have similar emotional responses as Zed (who will never see this because he doesn't read HN :-) to what might be called programmer "taste." There was, and to some extent still is, a very 'fashionista'[1] vibe to writing code at times. And that is very sad indeed because there is so much to learn, and code is so varied, that there is room for everyone.
I hope today's new coders are moving past that but I worry there may be something in the emotional makeup of people that evokes these sorts of responses.
[1] Fashionista is a derogatory term applied to a person who fawns over things that are considered to be "in fashion" and is derisive of things that were either formerly fashionable but are no longer, or some influential voice in the fashion community has declared to be in poor taste.
While there are exceptions, most programmers are just normal, social human beings with feelings and emotions. Who doesn't want to be popular ? But we are also different, we think in different ways, so we'll like different things. But it's hard to think different, you will not be liked.
I hope today's new coders are moving past that but I worry there may be something in the emotional makeup of people that evokes these sorts of responses.
[1] Fashionista is a derogatory term applied to a person who fawns over things that are considered to be "in fashion" and is derisive of things that were either formerly fashionable but are no longer, or some influential voice in the fashion community has declared to be in poor taste.