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A Talk about Nothing

A Talk about Nothing

This talk is about nothing – and everything.

It starts with an excursion to science and shows how "nothing", or what we've long taken to be nothing, is the basis of why we are, who we are and what we do.
It shows how we can use knowledge about unconscious bias, privilege and empathy to uncover "nothings" in the tech industry of our times.
And it takes a close look at "nothings" in tech – from code, software documentation and code comments, to communities, shipping culture and harassment, silencing and lack of diversity in tech today.

This talk was presented as closing keynote for ScotlandJS 2015 scotlandjs.com.

Lena Reinhard

May 08, 2015
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Transcript

  1. THE PRIVILEGE NOT TO LISTEN THE PRIVILEGE NOT TO CARE

    THE PRIVILEGE TO IGNORE THE PRIVILEGE TO DO NOTHING AND MOVE ON WITH OUR LIVES.
  2. PRIVILEGE COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY TO 1. be aware 2. shut

    up 3. listen 4. educate ourselves 5. use privilege for good
  3. I WISH EMPATHY WAS LESS 'WALK A MILE IN ANOTHER'S

    SHOES' & MORE OF 'BELIEVE THE EXPERIENCES OF THOSE WHO WALK IN SHOES DIFFERENT THAN YOURS.' (@laraenna)
  4. real-name policies men as default ignoring users auto-opt-in enabling harassment

    violating boundaries security flaws dark UI patterns CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE
  5. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE real-name policies men as

    default ignoring users auto-opt-in enabling harassment violating boundaries security flaws dark UI patterns
  6. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE real-name policies men as

    default ignoring users auto-opt-in enabling harassment violating boundaries security flaws dark UI patterns
  7. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE real-name policies men as

    default ignoring users auto-opt-in enabling harassment violating boundaries security flaws dark UI patterns
  8. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE real-name policies men as

    default ignoring users auto-opt-in enabling harassment violating boundaries security flaws dark UI patterns
  9. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE real-name policies men as

    default ignoring users auto-opt-in enabling harassment violating boundaries security flaws dark UI patterns
  10. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE real-name policies men as

    default ignoring users auto-opt-in enabling harassment violating boundaries security flaws dark UI patterns
  11. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE real-name policies men as

    default ignoring users auto-opt-in enabling harassment violating boundaries security flaws dark UI patterns
  12. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE real-name policies men as

    default ignoring users auto-opt-in enabling harassment violating boundaries security flaws dark UI patterns
  13. BY BUILDING SOFTWARE WE MAKE RULES FOR SPACES . THIS

    SOFTWARE WE HAVE BUILT ACTIVELY ENDANGERS MARGINALISED PEOPLE.
  14. BY BUILDING SOFTWARE WE MAKE RULES FOR SPACES . THIS

    SOFTWARE WE HAVE BUILT ACTIVELY ENDANGERS MARGINALISED PEOPLE.
  15. SHIPPING CULTURE HARMS HUMANS & SOFTWARE: IT INDUCES PRESSURE, DISTANCES

    US FROM USERS, UNDERVALUES THINKING & SETS WRONG INCENTIVES
  16. SHIPPING CULTURE HARMS HUMANS & SOFTWARE: IT INDUCES PRESSURE, DISTANCES

    US FROM USERS, UNDERVALUES THINKING & SETS WRONG INCENTIVES
  17. SHIPPING CULTURE HARMS HUMANS & SOFTWARE: IT INDUCES PRESSURE, DISTANCES

    US FROM USERS, UNDERVALUES THINKING & SETS WRONG INCENTIVES
  18. SHIPPING CULTURE HARMS HUMANS & SOFTWARE: IT INDUCES PRESSURE, DISTANCES

    US FROM USERS, UNDERVALUES THINKING & SETS WRONG INCENTIVES
  19. (Pete Warden) WHEN OPTIMISING CODE, SKEPTICISM BECOMES A HABIT. WE

    LEAVE THAT HABIT BEHIND WHEN CONFRONTED WITH EVIDENCE ABOUT OURSELVES.
  20. (Pete Warden) WHEN OPTIMISING CODE, SKEPTICISM BECOMES A HABIT. WE

    LEAVE THAT HABIT BEHIND WHEN CONFRONTED WITH EVIDENCE ABOUT OURSELVES.
  21. BEING IN TECH & NOT CARING ABOUT TECH CULTURE IS

    A LUXURY, ONLY AFFORDABLE TO THOSE WITH ENOUGH PRIVILEGE TO IGNORE IT & TOO LITTLE EMPATHY TO CARE.
  22. AS A WHITE MAN, THAT WAS THE MOST FUN I

    HAD ONLINE IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY GETTING TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND NOT BE INSULTED BY THEM. (Sydette)
  23. IF SILICON VALLEY CAN INVENT A DRIVERLESS CAR, THEY CAN

    ADDRESS ONLINE HARASSMENT. THEY LACK THE MOTIVATION. (Jaclyn Friedman)