compassion for the computer scientists

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the author's experiences and reflections on the need for more human-centered engineering, particularly in the field of computer science and algorithm development. It highlights the limitations of the current technological ecosystem, which was largely imagined by male engineers who assumed they understood user problems better than others. The article also explores the culture of computer science education, particularly at the University of Waterloo, and how it can lead to a narrow and technical focus, neglecting the social and ethical implications of the technologies being developed.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Need for Human-Centered Engineering

1. What are the key limitations of the current technological ecosystem, according to the author?

• The current technological ecosystem was imagined by predominantly male engineers who assumed they understood the problems faced by their users better than anyone else (like a social scientist).
• Many engineers have claimed they are simply responsible for building a platform to distribute content, but not for what is published there or how it might influence society.

2. How has the author's experience working on recommendation and personalization algorithms shaped her views on the moral responsibilities of software engineers?

• The author has faced nebulous dilemmas about where to draw the line on moral responsibilities as a software engineer.
• The lessons she has learned are entangled with her emotions about having to give up parts of herself to assert her place in the industry as a woman in computer science.

[02] The Culture of Computer Science Education

1. What are the key issues with the computer science education at the University of Waterloo, according to the author?

• The curriculum is heavily focused on "hard" technical skills like math, programming, and physics, with little space for learning social sciences that underpin the human problems being solved.
• The strict schedule and emphasis on "tangible" technical skills leave little room for students to learn about the sociopolitical influence of many tech roles.
• The culture encourages students to deprioritize their holistic health and well-being in pursuit of external validation and a rigidly defined version of success.

2. How does this culture contribute to the prevalence of "incel" mentality among computer science students?

• The limited and simplistic worldview fostered by the Waterloo computer science program can become entrenched in the way students build their careers and design sociotechnical systems.
• The program provides a "safe haven" for those who want to normalize misogynistic and objectifying attitudes towards women.

[03] The Need for Diverse Perspectives in Technology

1. What is the author's perspective on the importance of incorporating diverse viewpoints in technology development?

• The author believes that alignment in technology can never be binary, as each culture has its own values, and building a truly "general" intelligence would require a multicultural, interdisciplinary effort to collect human knowledge and organize it in a way that makes sense to both social and computer scientists.
• By failing to encourage diverse perspectives of humanity, we are choosing to ignore the dangerous biases that may be embedded into the technologies shaping our world.

2. How does the author hope that history will view engineers from this era?

• The author hopes that when history looks back on engineers from this era, it sees them as guardians of knowledge, who spun together each vibrant and unique thread of humanity into a story that reflects the world as a whole, becoming more than just the reductive narrative of the "Silicon Valley Tech Bro."