Poll of the Day > Biden tells coal miners anyone can learn to be programmers!

(+) Yeah! (+)

Not only does this insult the intellect of accomplished programmers saying someone can just drop their career and pick up coding in a month... but it insults coal miners.

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It is very true that you cannot become a programmer in a month if you are an old coal miner with Windows 95 and a basic understanding of how a mouse works.

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Wow. Even coal miners are expected to #lrn2code
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Because anyone would want to? Right...

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Did he say in a month or is there a lot of inferring going on in here...?

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They can be.
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I mean, as a programmer, yeah I think anyone can learn to code. It's just logic. Your brain is a logic machine.

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I'm so tired of seeing this pop up, no offense.

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But can just anyone learn how to be a coal miner?

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Fierce_Deity_08 posted...

But can just anyone learn how to be a coal miner?

Yes. You just hit earth and split the coal.

This also applies to code, you just write what you want clearly.
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I like Andrew Yangs response that anyone who thinks coal miners can just easily become coders clearly has never done either of those things.

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Mead posted...

I like Andrew Yangs response that anyone who thinks coal miners can just easily become coders clearly has never done either of those things.

The problem is that nothing Andrew Yang says ultimately matters.

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Judgmenl posted...

The problem is that nothing Andrew Yang says ultimately matters.

you gotta understand that when it comes to politics, everyone on this board realized a long time ago that you never have any actual clue what you are talking about and that you tend to just parrot things you read on reddit

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Mead posted...

you gotta understand that when it comes to politics, everyone on this board realized a long time ago that you never have any actual clue what you are talking about and that you tend to just parrot things you read on reddit

You gotta stop drinking the Kool-aid. Someone who regularly polls at 1-3% is not going anywhere anytime soon.

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I took an introductory course to programming in college and it annoyed the crap out of me. I'd rather work retail min wage than make 6 figures as a programmer.

Sure I was intelligent enough and physically able but it doesn't fit my personality so suggesting all coal miners just pick up a skill so different from their current field is not a realistic solution

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Judgmenl posted...

You gotta stop drinking the Kool-aid. Someone who regularly polls at 1-3% is not going anywhere anytime soon.

I never said the guy is gonna win

but again, you are talking out of your ass

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So Biden thinks there are 50,000 coding jobs just waiting to be filled?

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I don't know about coding specifically, but coal has been dying for years, so if those people wanna stay employed for a long time, they'll need to find something else.
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Now I get it, he's dancing around Bernie's green new deal and why he doesn't support it.

Just let the coal jobs die and don't give them an alternative because "they can just pick up programming".

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I always thought it was pretty easy, but maybe that was something I could have done instead of trucking/oil.

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zebatov posted...

I always thought it was pretty easy, but maybe that was something I could have done instead of trucking/oil.

It's not easy.

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Yellow posted...

Now I get it, he's dancing around Bernie's green new deal and why he doesn't support it.

Just let the coal jobs die and don't give them an alternative because "they can just pick up programming".

Let the free market run it's course

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Eventually the world will have too many coders, though, at which point we'll be all like, "Learn 2 mine coal."

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Zeus posted...

Eventually the world will have too many coders, though, at which point we'll be all like, "Learn 2 mine coal."

Nobody is going to recommend that lol
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If anyone could learn programming, I think we would have people flocking to learn programming. That's akin to saying anyone can learn to be a surgeon. Biden is snake and I don't trust him He's an intelligent version of Trump.

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BUMPED2002 posted...

If anyone could learn programming, I think we would have people flocking to learn programming. That's akin to saying anyone can learn to be a surgeon. Biden is snake and I don't trust him He's an intelligent version of Trump.

people ARE flocking to learn programming.

also, anyone can learn =/= anyone can excel in

JOExHIGASHI posted...

Sure I was intelligent enough and physically able but it doesn't fit my personality so suggesting all coal miners just pick up a skill so different from their current field is not a realistic solution

I mean, ultimately they're going to have to pick a different skill of some sort. Maybe not programming, but coal is a dying industry and technological process means that the manpower requirements for modern coal mines are far, far lower than the mines of the past. The jobs that have left that industry are never coming back, no matter what Trump says.

And coal is just one of dozens of industries where workers are threatened by increasing automation. We will need a strategy for what to do with those workers in the future, else we are going to see a massive unemployment spike, with all the economic, social, and political consequences that entails. Even if the specifics are wonky, I'm pleased this is at least being talked about as a problem and solutions are being batted around.

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While anyone can learn it, it doesn't matter if they can't really do it well or whatever. People learn how to do stuff and are shit at it. Also, some people probably would have a hard time with it, even after learning a lot. I agree that they can learn it, but I don't really think that matters much. Like Fam_Fam said, learning it doesn't mean you'll excel in it. And being able to excel, or at least use it to a decent level, is the important part...
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BUMPED2002 posted...

If anyone could learn programming, I think we would have people flocking to learn programming. That's akin to saying anyone can learn to be a surgeon.

Not everyone wants to be a surgeon, same for programmers.
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LinkPizza posted...

And being able to excel, or at least use it to a decent level, is the important part...

Don't conflate excelling with performing decently. Few excel, many work.
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Kyuubi4269 posted...

Don't conflate excelling with performing decently. Few excel, many work.

Hence why I said, "or at least use it decently." Meaning I know the two are different...
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Maybe they cannot be programmers, but they could most definitely be solar panel installers.

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Llamachama posted...

Maybe they cannot be programmers, but they could most definitely be solar panel installers.

See thats a bit more realistic suggesting trading in one physical labor job for another. Theyd still have to learn things but it wouldn't be as much of a leap.

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mooreandrew58 posted...

Theyd still have to learn things but it wouldn't be as much of a leap.

Do not underestimate electricians.

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Anyone can learn anything if it interests them and have the drive to do so.

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Saying learn to code got people banned from Twitter.

BeerOnTap posted...

Saying learn to code got people banned from Twitter.

oh no how will they survive

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BUMPED2002 posted...

If anyone could learn programming, I think we would have people flocking to learn programming. That's akin to saying anyone can learn to be a surgeon. Biden is snake and I don't trust him He's an intelligent version of Trump.

First off, just about anybody can be a surgeon. Not everybody can be a great surgeon, but most people are capable of doing it. Second, and more importantly, anyone CAN learn programming. The fact that not everybody does isn't a reflection of capability, but rather motivation (or possibly even opportunity). Even you could probably program if you put your mind to it.

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I tried to be a programmer. Data Structures and Algorithms class killed me.


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i did everything right in college didn't help one bit to find a job
it was almost comical the stuff they did want as experiance ( not a college degree)

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Literally anybody can learn to code. Anybody can learn to do anything. Whether they have the work ethic, funds, support, and patience to do so is another matter. So yeah if I want to drop my career and learn to code, be a doctor, be an astrophysicist, I can. And Im 28.

dont see why thats so controversial.

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Zeus posted...

First off, just about anybody can be a surgeon. Not everybody can be a great surgeon, but most people are capable of doing it. Second, and more importantly, anyone CAN learn programming. The fact that not everybody does isn't a reflection of capability, but rather motivation (or possibly even opportunity). Even you could probably program if you put your mind to it.

I'm not sure about that. But I guess it depends on what you mean by just about anyone. But there are tons of people who faint at the sight of blood, or can't look at guts and organs without fainting, people who don't have steady hands, people who can't retain information well, etc... There are probably many reasons that a lot of people couldn't really be a surgeon (even at the most basic level). Though, like you said, not everyone can be a good surgeon. Which then means, what's the point of them becoming a surgeon without being employable. Because that feels like they couldn't really be a surgeon... At least, that's how it feels to me...
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FatalAccident posted...

Literally anybody can learn to code. Anybody can learn to do anything. Whether they have the work ethic, funds, support, and patience to do so is another matter. So yeah if I want to drop my career and learn to code, be a doctor, be an astrophysicist, I can. And Im 28.

dont see why thats so controversial.

Idk. Many people may not agree because it's not always easy to just "learn" something. Especially without any interest in it. And even with interest. It's like when you are trying to teach a much older person how to use technology. Even when they are interested in learning how to use it, it's very hard. And many try to the best of their abilities, and still only grasp a very small amount of it. Only some become real pros. Even going to a class may not help many... I understand the concept of "anybody can learn anything". And while I agree it can be said for most people, I don't agree with it for all people... Or profession... Or certain professions for certain people. Personally, at least...

And even if certain people could learn, how long it would take matters, too... Being able to teach someone how to be a programmer could have them actually learn, but it may take them 3-5 times as long, which may not benefit them when trying to live once they are older. Or learning how to may not help if they are only decent, but companies want a younger and better programmer. And it sounds like they make it seem so easy. Like miners will be able to learn how to program quick and be getting hired left and right, when that most likely won't happen...
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LinkPizza posted...

I'm not sure about that. But I guess it depends on what you mean by just about anyone. But there are tons of people who faint at the sight of blood, or can't look at guts and organs without fainting, people who don't have steady hands, people who can't retain information well, etc... There are probably many reasons that a lot of people couldn't really be a surgeon (even at the most basic level). Though, like you said, not everyone can be a good surgeon. Which then means, what's the point of them becoming a surgeon without being employable. Because that feels like they couldn't really be a surgeon... At least, that's how it feels to me...

...overlooking that I specifically said "just about anybody," people can become desensitized to the sight of blood, etc.

And there's a huge amount of value to having surgerical skills even if you aren't employed in that capacity. And if you can't be a surgeon in the US, simply go somewhere else

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Zeus posted...

...overlooking that I specifically said "just about anybody," people can become desensitized to the sight of blood, etc.

Pretty I didn't since the first part that you quoted literally said, "But I guess it depends on what you mean by just about anyone."

Zeus posted...

And if you can't be a surgeon in the US, simply go somewhere else

If you can. Not everybody can just pick up and move to a different country...
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Telling people to learn to code was apparently valid advice when some journalists got laid off a while back...

jramirez23 posted...

I tried to be a programmer. Data Structures and Algorithms class killed me.

The way they try to teach you things in school is worse than learning it on your own. They want to teach you everything from the bottom up when you only need to know the top layer.

Taking a data structure class would be incredibly useful after you know how to program.

Algorithms are just stupid to teach to a starter programmer. Useless in 99.99% of cases. Odds are you'll never have to deal with them because some library implements it already. You wouldn't know that, but your instructor should have.

And then we get into Calculus... Jesus. Calculus is like the world's worst programming language because there are no comments or variable names explaining what's going on. Just figure it out and get a headache smarty-pants.

You know what I do when I see my code is so complicated I get a headache? I redo it, because that's bad code. I don't call myself an expert for creating something that's too complicated to grasp. /tangent

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Yellow posted...

Calculus is like the world's worst programming language

I thought it is a branch of mathematics. Or are you speaking figuratively and saying that calculus can be compared to an arbitrary terrible language?
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It is, I made a simile.

No respect for calculus here.

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Yellow posted...

simile

Oh.
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