• Crucibles 
    • A crucible is a "severe test" or a "trial" – something through which an idea is passed so that it may be refined, hardened by time, sharpened with experience, and clarified by intellect until it becomes acceptable for practice.
    • A good idea has suffered through the crucibles of competition and community, emerged from it more robust, and is elevated within those communities as more optimal than alternatives.
    • There's really no other way for non-scientific ideas to prove useful or not.
  • Criticism
    • Criticism as an aspect of crucible is vital
    • Criticism as avoidance of crucible is crippling
    • How do we know the difference?
      • Crucible criticism: Practiced, intentional, provides alternatives, instructive, cautionary, demonstratable, clear
      • Crippling criticism: Defensive, personal, unfamiliar with alternatives, destructive, reactionary, abstract
  • There's a better way of doing things. It's not relative.
  • If you don't understand that, you'll never find a better way of doing things.  There's no motivation to grow and adapt if the status quo is acceptable.
  • Software development, while still a young field, has a rich history of internal debate, agreed-upon best practices, and deep community expertise.
  • Nothing is set in stone, but that doesn't mean you're not doing it wrong.