[Python-ideas] Iterative development

[Chris Angelico]

On Sat, Feb 1, 2014 at 2:45 AM, Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Asperger Syndrome sufferers are always honest.  Sadly I find it a major
> weakness that I have to live with.  We also take things literally and write
> things literally.  So your "obvious to everyone what you were saying" to me
> is clearly incorrect.  Please withdraw the comment.

I know what it's like to live with Aspergers, I have it myself (at
least, not formally diagnosed but it seems pretty likely). And I do
put my foot in my mouth pretty often. But that doesn't mean that I can
hide behind it as a shield when it's this obvious. You knew full well
what you were saying when you said you wouldn't mention any names.

Now, I do enjoy a good upper-class British insult-fest. That's a major
part of what makes quite a few British comedies work - the utterly
courteous, yet bitingly cutting, wit, barb, and counter-barb. The
tenor explains to the soprano that he was just disguised as a member
of the band, that he's really a much more important person, and she
says that she knew he was in disguise the minute she heard him play.
But when that wit is wielded inappropriately, the proper response is a
graceful apology or retraction... or, if circumstances demand, a
barbed retraction ("I implied in the House last week that the Hon
Member had the intelligence of a stuffed egg. This was inappropriate,
and I formally apologize for and retract this analogy. My breakfast
egg today deserved no less."), but you have to be VERY sure of your
ground before you take that option - claiming Aspergers is not
sufficient.

This'll probably sidetrack everyone terribly (for which I'm not sure
if I apologize; it might be a good thing for some people to get stuck
in TVTropes for a while) but this write-up about Asperger Syndrome
gives an excellent comment:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/UsefulNotes/AspergerSyndrome
"""
Most genuine Aspies don't see Aspergers as a 'Get Out Of Jerk Ass
Free' card, just an explanation.

If somebody offends you, then tells you they have Asperger Syndrome
and that's why they offended you, you can generally tell if this is
true by a simple observation - If the admittance is followed (or
preceded) by a genuine apology, it may be true. If it's followed by
the expectation that you should now apologise to them for being
offended, they're probably just jerks.
"""

I'll let that speak for itself.

ChrisA