Original: Simon Willison · 23/02/2026
Summary
Simon Willison reflects on Paul Ford’s insights about vibe coding and the challenges of communicating complex ideas to the public.Key Insights
“But people can’t just read something and hate you quietly; they can’t see that you have provided them with a utility or a warning; they need their screech.” — Paul Ford discussing the public’s reaction to complex topics.
“You are distributed to millions of people, and become the local proxy for the emotions of maybe dozens of people, who disagree and demand your attention.” — Ford on the responsibility of writers to engage with their audience.
Topics
Full Article
23rd February 2026 The paper asked me to explain vibe coding, and I did so, because I think something big is coming there, and I’m deep in, and I worry that normal people are not able to see it and I want them to be prepared. But people can’t just read something and hate you quietly; they can’t see that you have provided them with a utility or a warning; they need their screech. You are distributed to millions of people, and become the local proxy for the emotions of maybe dozens of people, who disagree and demand your attention, and because you are the one in the paper you need to welcome them with a pastor’s smile and deep empathy, and if you speak a word in your own defense they’ll screech even louder. — Paul Ford, on writing about vibe coding for the New York TimesRelated Articles
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Originally published at https://simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/23/paul-ford/#atom-everything.