As a "public figure" who has thrust himself into a number of controversies, yes, he is. Ultimately, though, it comes down to the ethics and good taste of those doing the gossiping (or not.) Questioning a change in Dropbox's "Our Team" page isn't very high on the insensitivity meter.
Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.
I am indifferent on Shaw, the man, but from what I have seen of him, he only discusses controversial ideas.
He was never the face of Dropbox, not a founding member, doesn't sit on the board, and absolutely has zero visibility wrt Dropbox. Inquiring about his fate with them and his employment status (and digging for gossip) is nothing but prying on the man's privacy, and making his career a public spectacle for his gleeful adversaries.
Sure, he brought this upon himself for being opinionated, but let's cut down on the tall-poppy syndrome here. The man is entitled both to his opinions, and his privacy.
I'm inclined to agree with you (and I certainly don't care about Zed's current job), but Zed made a huge (and very public) fuss about his job hunt. Curiosity about the consequences of that job search seems only natural.
Your comment is a good warning against making generalizations about people's behavior considering you spent the next three paragraphs doing just that ;-)
Seriously? Zed Shaw loves to rant about people. Ranting about people brought him into this tiny, niche internet spotlight in the first place. And have you even looked at http://oppugn.us/? Apparently not.
Are you really claiming that anyone that talks about people is a 'small mind?' When my daughter gets older (old enough to talk) and I ask her how her day was, does that somehow lower my intelligence and make my expertise suspect?
> average minds discuss events
If your building is on fire, does it lower your intelligence to talk about it because it's not abstract enough?
You're being obtuse. The quote is about discussion qua discussion, not caring about your kids or self-preservation. "Words of wisdom" are not usually to be taken absolutely literally.
There's no familial or social need, or any self-preservation need, to gossip about Zed Shaw.
It's a quote usually attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt. But my invocation of it stands, at least as a guard against petty he-said she-said discussions here on HN.
Or maybe I am wrong, maybe gossip and backstabbing are perfectly on-topic here. Dunno.
> When my daughter gets older (old enough to talk) and I ask her how her day was, does that somehow lower my intelligence and make my expertise suspect?
Of course not, when your daughter is young it is entirely appropriate to talk about things she and her friends of done, or what her favorite actress or pop star has done. I think the "small minds discuss people" was referring to older people with a potential for more important discussions, and what they do in fact discuss.
Then again, posting on this particular HN post doesn't say a lot about my large-mindedness either, so I'll just shut up now. :)
