Ask HN: Monoculture and speech patterns
Ever since my first encounter with low hanging fruit, it's been clear to me that there is a certain way that people speak that they use to signal that they are part of the monoculture:
- Using verbs as nouns (ask, spend)
- Referring to the "story" of things (they have a good color story)
- Using 'sort of' and 'kind of' to avoid ownership of firm ideas while still speaking with some level of authority (We see this sort of trend)
- Using British terms (flat, tube, naff). Naff, in particular, is catching on really well now
- Vocal fry and a flat affect or sing-song cadence
So:
- do you agree that there is such a trend?
- do you participate?
- is it necessary to participate to work at startups?
- what is your perception of people who don't participate?
Thanks!
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9 comments
| 5 points
| on HN
)
It seems natural for professions to develop some specialized language. It's obviously a liability to not understand it, because you won't know what people mean. But it's not much of a liability not to use it if there is an equally precise non-jargon term.
Last time I worked in a software company was 13 years ago, and I still remember what the OP is writing about. It was absolutely cringe-worthy!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoculturalism
That said, you are right and monoculturalism is not the right term. It is a political term at best and a charged cultural term in today's racial and cultural environment. It's too late to change the title. Sadly, the rest of my post doesn't mention the term, but the responses don't seem to address anything but the title.