« Scott Nonnenberg


Posts tagged 'empathy'

Fear of the subjective 2016 Nov 08

There’s been a lot of controversy this year over issues like gay marriage, transgender rights, and even trigger warnings. Aside from the standard morality vs. individual rights narrative, I think... Read more »

Carrots, not sticks 2016 Jun 23

It may feel satisfying to use punishment to get people to do what you want. But by doing that you ignore human psychology, creating resentment which will eventually make it harder to achieve your... Read more »

Avoid these abused words 2016 May 24

There are some words which warrant caution. They can instantly turn people defensive, or cause your listener to completely disregard everything you say afterwards. Why are they so bad? What can we... Read more »

From tech person to people person 2016 May 17

I’ve been on both sides: made fun of as a geeky computer enthusiast, and derided as useless project management overhead. Both sides of the technical divide are frustrated and unhappy. How to bridge... Read more »

Systems and Incentives 2016 Jan 14

Over the years, in various software development roles, I’ve learned to stop thinking of people as individuals. But it’s not a bad thing… Read more »

Four books for greater understanding 2016 Jan 09

I read 30 books in 2015, most for the first time. These four nonfiction books were all first-time reads and left me with quite a few new ideas bouncing around this head of mine. Combined, they made... Read more »


Hi, I'm Scott. I've written both server and client code in many languages for many employers and clients. I've also got a bit of an unusual perspective, since I've spent time in roles outside the pure 'software developer.' You can find me on Mastodon.