On the one hand, I dislike this "cult of personality" trend in general culture. (Not infrequently discussed with family and friends.)
On the other hand, even and especially in the conservative, corporate cultures I've experienced, there has been a small minority of people who are an order of magnitude smarter and more capable than their peers. And... this tends to generalize. They have their assignments. But sit down with them for a more general discussion, and they often have a better idea than most of what is going on and of its value or cost, in areas well outside their formal assignments. Further, when they -- one way or another -- end up responsible for addressing something "farther afield", they often do so better, quicker, and more insightfully than the dedicated, "expert" staff assigned to it.
That's why I pay attention to people like Linus. In my experience, when people like him address a topic, even casually, they've often been paying better attention than many others, and/or their ability and experience enables them to quickly cut through the crap and see to the heart of the matter.
Even when they are wrong, their thinking often brings up some very interesting and relevant points.
On the other hand, even and especially in the conservative, corporate cultures I've experienced, there has been a small minority of people who are an order of magnitude smarter and more capable than their peers. And... this tends to generalize. They have their assignments. But sit down with them for a more general discussion, and they often have a better idea than most of what is going on and of its value or cost, in areas well outside their formal assignments. Further, when they -- one way or another -- end up responsible for addressing something "farther afield", they often do so better, quicker, and more insightfully than the dedicated, "expert" staff assigned to it.
That's why I pay attention to people like Linus. In my experience, when people like him address a topic, even casually, they've often been paying better attention than many others, and/or their ability and experience enables them to quickly cut through the crap and see to the heart of the matter.
Even when they are wrong, their thinking often brings up some very interesting and relevant points.