Am I a Nerd or a Person in Another Culture Altogether?

"Developers are least qualified to validate a business requirement. They're either nerds and don't get it, or they're people in another culture altogether." - John Michelsen, chief executive of iTKO Inc., a software testing company.



I found this great quote about computer programmers in a CNN on-line article. I almost fell off of my ergonomic chair laughing. So, according to Mr. Michelsen, I'm either a nerd or a person in another culture. I'm pretty sure I fall into the latter category, considering the unique culture of Farmington, including lawn tractor racing, meat raffles and $2.35 steak lunches.

I've tried to introduce other people to the unique cultural activities of Farmington. I've brought a few people (okay, dragged a few people along) to Dew Days, our town festival. (Back in 1982, Pepsi Co. gave Farmington some money for a town festival because we had the highest per capita consumption of Mountain Dew in the world.) This year I brought a friend to the Dew Days "Kiss the Pig" contest. The town's waste management supervisor won. He had to wear a paper crown and had to kiss the cutest little pink piglet in front of a huge group of Farmington residents. Although I detect an air of condescension in Mr. Michelsen's comment, I'm not embarrassed to be in a different culture altogether, particularly since the alternative is being a nerd. So, bottoms up, it's time for another Mountain Dew.