Avoid These Words (And Not Just at Work)

Why HN readers recommended it

HN recommends it whenever 'why don't you just...' comes up as an example of arrogant, dismissive advice.

This is a summary from the source dataset, not an endorsement by Hacker News or the video creator.

Video & recommendation details

Creator / channel

Adam Savage’s Tested

Topic

workplace communication

Format

commentary

Level

general

HN recommenders in dataset

3

HN mentions in dataset

3

Recommendation years in dataset

2024–2024

These counts and years describe the included Hacker News records; they are not YouTube views or the video’s publication date.

From the original HN conversations

Excerpts from the recorded comments. Follow each source for the full comment and surrounding discussion.

• Adam Savage has a most excellent rant about the outrageous arrogance of the phrase, "Why don't you just..." I highly recommend it: [VIDEO] My best example of this is my father-in-law. He's an absolutely wonderful man, generous to a fault and all of that. Fancies …

• Possibly the article talked about in this relevant video from Adam Savage: [VIDEO] I had noticed this too subconsciously, but could never put into words why it felt bad to receive (otherwise totally valid) suggestions in this form. It seems a common phrase in technical …

• I really believe that you are approaching this in good faith, so I will do the same. I don't have time to really dig into this deeply with you so these brief justifications of my stance will have to suffice. I don't understand some of …