Like a dog watching TV
This isn’t a serious post. If you’re looking for deep insight, you’re in the wrong place.
There is a spectrum of contributions to - and insights in - a shared context.
Let’s say that shared context involves watching and discussing the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The experienced movie critic will pick up on the most subtle details and offer deep insights.
Average old me, having watched the trilogy dozens of times, will proudly repeat the same old jokes, references and movie dialogues (and my wife will almost certainly be rolling her eyes at me).
My 4 year old son will just sit there, eyes wide open, mouth agape, and watch the movie with some mix of curiosity, awe and fear. I’m sure he’ll be able to recount some details afterwards.
My dog will sleep through most of it, occasionally waking up to look at the screen and cock her head at the growling wargs.
How strong is the self-awareness of the different levels of comprehension?
In what contexts am I like a dog, watching TV?
I’m Siddhartha (Sid) Shankar, and I am currently a Senior Engineering Manager at GitHub serving the CodeQL dynamic languages team, supporting JavaScript/TypeScript, Python and Ruby. I have had the privilege of leading and managing engineering teams since 2015. I’m at my best when engaging in opportunities that require bringing people together - often across teams - to deliver value to customers in a sustainable and pragmatic way. More about the author →
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