--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to know why Lisp doesn't win…" description: "\"If you want to know why Lisp doesn't win around you, find a mirror.\" — Erik Naggum" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/erik-naggum-8459_ifs_if-you-want-to-know-why-lisp-doesn-t-win_3133822.png" --- # If you want to know why Lisp doesn't win around you, find… ![“If you want to know why Lisp doesn't win around you, find a mirror.” quote by Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/erik-naggum-8459_ifs_if-you-want-to-know-why-lisp-doesn-t-win_3133822.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/erik-naggum-8459_ifs_if-you-want-to-know-why-lisp-doesn-t-win_3133822.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/erik-naggum-8459_ifs_if-you-want-to-know-why-lisp-doesn-t-win_3133822.png) > “If you want to know why Lisp doesn't win around you, find a mirror.” [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that Lisp’s lack of popularity reflects developers’ own biases and insecurities, acting as a mirror to their preferences. **In simple terms:** Lisp’s obscurity reveals personal bias. Key Takeaway Recognize bias in tech choices. Themes programming culture self‑awareness bias Mood analytical critical Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - software development - team decision making - learning new languages Key Concepts language adoption ego community standards Questions to Reflect On - Why do you favor certain languages? - How can you challenge your own tech biases? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex market factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [The most powerful programming language is Lisp. If you don't know Lisp (or its variant, Scheme), you don't appreciate what a powerful language is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/the-most-powerful-programming-language-is-lisp-if-you-don-t-know-lisp/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [Lisp doesn't look any deader than usual to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thornley/lisp-doesn-t-look-any-deader-than-usual-to-me/) David Thornley > [That's why the smartest companies use Common Lisp, but lie about it so all their competitors think Lisp is slow and C++ is fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/that-s-why-the-smartest-companies-use-common-lisp-but-lie-about-it-so/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [The continuation that obeys only obvious stack semantics, O grasshopper, is not the true continuation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-steele/the-continuation-that-obeys-only-obvious-stack-semantics-o/) [Guy Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-steele/) > [This does not mean that I fail to recognise that Lisp is still #1 for key algorithmic techniques such as recursion and condescension. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verity-stob/this-does-not-mean-that-i-fail-to-recognise-that-lisp-is-still-1-for/) Verity Stob > [Lisp isn't a language, it's a building material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/lisp-isn-t-a-language-it-s-a-building-material/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [Greenspun's Tenth Rule of Programming: any sufficiently complicated C or Fortran program contains an ad hoc informally-specified bug-ridden slow implementation of half of Common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-greenspun/greenspun-s-tenth-rule-of-programming-any-sufficiently-complicated-c/) [Philip Greenspun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-greenspun/) > [Syntactic sugar causes cancer of the semicolon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-perlis/syntactic-sugar-causes-cancer-of-the-semicolon/) [Alan Perlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-perlis/) > [Whose cruel idea was it for the word “lisp” to have an “s” in it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/whose-cruel-idea-was-it-for-the-word-lisp-to-have-an-s-in-it/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [“Aaron was so gay he walked with a lisp...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-d-padilla/aaron-was-so-gay-he-walked-with-a-lisp/) Edward D Padilla > [Lisp is still #1 for key algorithmic techniques such as recursion and condescension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verity-stob/lisp-is-still-1-for-key-algorithmic-techniques-such-as-recursion-and/) Verity Stob > [Lisp is worth learning for the profound enlightenment experience you will have when you finally get it; that experience will make you a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/lisp-is-worth-learning-for-the-profound-enlightenment-experience-you/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [I find it cruel that the word lisp has an s in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-find-it-cruel-that-the-word-lisp-has-an-s-in-it/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [LISP programmers know the value of everything and the cost of nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-perlis/lisp-programmers-know-the-value-of-everything-and-the-cost-of-nothing/) [Alan Perlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-perlis/) > [Take Lisp, you know its the most beautiful language in the world -- at least up until Haskell came along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/take-lisp-you-know-its-the-most-beautiful-language-in-the-world-at/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) ## More by Erik Naggum > [Structure is nothing if it is all you got. Skeletons spook people if they try to walk around on their own. I really wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/structure-is-nothing-if-it-is-all-you-got-skeletons-spook-people-if/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [The only important property of evils of the past is that they not be repeated in the future, in any way, shape, or form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-only-important-property-of-evils-of-the-past-is-that-they-not-be/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Some people are little more than herd animals, flocking together whenever the world becomes uncomfortable … I am not one of those people. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/some-people-are-little-more-than-herd-animals-flocking-together/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [They don't make poles long enough for me want to touch Microsoft products, and I don't want any mass-marketed game-playing device or Windows appliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/they-don-t-make-poles-long-enough-for-me-want-to-touch-microsoft/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Ignoring for a moment the power of the American Medical Association, we still wouldn't see a huge amount of books on neurosurgery for dummies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/ignoring-for-a-moment-the-power-of-the-american-medical-association/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [I have actually programmed a fair bit in Perl, like I have C++ code published with my name on it. Other things I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/i-have-actually-programmed-a-fair-bit-in-perl-like-i-have-c-code/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Part of any serious QA is removing Perl code the same way you go over a dilapidated building you inherit to remove chewing gum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/part-of-any-serious-qa-is-removing-perl-code-the-same-way-you-go-over/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [I have a cat, so I know that when she digs her very sharp claws into my chest or stomach it's really a sign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/i-have-a-cat-so-i-know-that-when-she-digs-her-very-sharp-claws-into/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Constructing a social system that tends to those who agree with it is a piece of cake compared to constructing one that makes those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/constructing-a-social-system-that-tends-to-those-who-agree-with-it-is/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [If, however, one factor is too successful, it will continue to be the winning factor regardless of the variation in the other factors over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/if-however-one-factor-is-too-successful-it-will-continue-to-be-the/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [C++ is a language strongly optimized for liars and people who go by guesswork and ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/c-is-a-language-strongly-optimized-for-liars-and-people-who-go-by/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Gotos aren't damnable to begin with. If you aren't smart enough to distinguish what's bad about some gotos from all gotos, goto hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/gotos-aren-t-damnable-to-begin-with-if-you-aren-t-smart-enough-to/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [I have come to believe that large print, thick and heavy paper, and wide margins and oversize leading is indicative of the expected intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/i-have-come-to-believe-that-large-print-thick-and-heavy-paper-and/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [The fundamental deficiency in HTML is that it reduces hypertext and the intertwinedness of human communication to a question of how it is rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-fundamental-deficiency-in-html-is-that-it-reduces-hypertext-and/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [The currency in the developer community is enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/the-currency-in-the-developer-community-is-enthusiasm/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) [Explore all 80 Erik Naggum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. 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If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want to know why Lisp doesn't win around you, find a mirror.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erik Naggum" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/if-you-want-to-know-why-lisp-doesn-t-win-around-you-find-a-mirror/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ifs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/if-you-want-to-know-why-lisp-doesn-t-win-around-you-find-a-mirror/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/erik-naggum-8459_ifs_if-you-want-to-know-why-lisp-doesn-t-win_3133822.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/erik-naggum-8459_ifs_if-you-want-to-know-why-lisp-doesn-t-win_3133822.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/erik-naggum-8459_ifs_if-you-want-to-know-why-lisp-doesn-t-win_3133822.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you want to know why Lisp doesn't win around you, find a mirror.” — Erik Naggum", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Erik Naggum", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you want to know why...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/if-you-want-to-know-why-lisp-doesn-t-win-around-you-find-a-mirror/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/if-you-want-to-know-why-lisp-doesn-t-win-around-you-find-a-mirror/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```