Human Bug

Sometimes I think the tech world is fortunate.

HR screens candidates. Technical interviews verify skill. Work together for a few days and you see what someone is made of. Code doesn't lie. Output is visible. Problematic people get detected early. The system isn't perfect, but at least a filtering mechanism exists.

Outside tech, that isn't always the case.

I can't go into specifics. But you should know that some people are extraordinarily manipulative. They are articulate. First impressions are impeccable. Everyone speaks highly of them. Get closer and something feels off. They state falsehoods with total conviction. Point out contradictions and the subject shifts. They seem unaware they're causing harm. The people around them wear down, slowly.

Certain personality patterns have clinical names. That's for professionals to determine, not for me to label. What I do know is this: once you're deeply entangled, the damage extends well beyond the person involved. It reaches everyone nearby.

Engineers may be especially vulnerable to this type. We spend our days being told we're wrong by computers. Compile errors. Test failures. Production incidents. We're conditioned to accept that we might be mistaken. So when someone asserts something with fierce conviction, we doubt ourselves instead. Our honesty becomes a liability.

Distance is the best defense. But sometimes you can't leave. One thing I'll say: be wary of anyone who destabilizes you through hearsay. "So-and-so said this about you." Build the habit of verifying facts carefully. It's the same discipline as code review.