[gotaquestion]

> I just don't understand how very smart people can so passionately believe in a closed loop

Does good programmer == very smart?

Does good mechanic == very smart?

Part of the echo chamber bias on HN is that programmers are an elite class of citizen that is head-and-shoulder's above the rest in terms of intellect. I whole-heartedly disagree with this proposition because I've met many, many programmers who were absolute ding-dongs.

If you stop deifying programmers (& engineers) it becomes easier to see they are just average tradespeople who trade happens to be in extremely high demand right now. And then other things fall into place, like how they can fall for their own bubbles.

[version_five]

To be fair, FAANG-like places have essentially IQ tests as a big part of hiring. I think the GP comment could be rephrased as a pretty common observation that people who are academically or "traditionally" smart in a narrow sense can be super dumb in other ways. Just because you can propose a n•log(n) solution to find the maximum volume bound between two heights and widths represented in array entries doesn't mean you have some superior political thoughts or whatever. People seem to forget this sometimes

[thr0wawayf00]

Yep. I have a relative that is a certified genius, got a full scholarship to an Ivy League school and is now a C-level executive with one of the big banks.

He also totaled his Mercedes when he got his first job out of college because he didn't know that you're supposed to check the oil levels and burned up the engine.

Nobody knows everything.

[s__s]

I agree with your overall statement, but if you’re referring to leetcode puzzles then I would definitely challenge your suggestion that they’re in any way equivalent to an IQ test. IQ tests are much broader and cover many different categories of intelligence.

[alephxyz]

Selecting for high IQ and low empathy/EQ