--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We tend to blame the physical media for…" description: "\"We tend to blame the physical media for most of our implementation difficulties; for the media are not \"ours\" in the way the ideas are, and our pride c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/fred-brooks-11366_blame_we-tend-to-blame-the-physical-media-for_663772.png" --- # We tend to blame the physical media for most of our… ![“We tend to blame the physical media for most of our implementation difficulties; for the media are not "ours" in the way the ideas are, and our pride colors our judgement.” quote by Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/fred-brooks-11366_blame_we-tend-to-blame-the-physical-media-for_663772.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/fred-brooks-11366_blame_we-tend-to-blame-the-physical-media-for_663772.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/fred-brooks-11366_blame_we-tend-to-blame-the-physical-media-for_663772.png) > “We tend to blame the physical media for most of our implementation difficulties; for the media are not "ours" in the way the ideas are, and our pride colors our judgement.” [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People blame tools for failures, ignoring that ideas belong to us and our ego skews judgment. **In simple terms:** We blame media, not our own ideas or pride. Key Takeaway Focus on ideas, not just tools. Themes technology ego responsibility software development mindset Mood pragmatic thoughtful analytical Type technical philosophical When to use this quote - software project planning - team retrospectives - tool selection - process improvement Key Concepts human factors ownership cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - How can teams balance tool choice with idea ownership? - What steps reduce ego-driven judgments? A Different Perspective Tools can be essential, but blaming them ignores deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) [Blame Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame-physical-1309978/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Difficulties Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficulties-media-5285051/) [Difficulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficulty/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Implementation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/implementation/) [Judgement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgement/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Physical Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-media-357166/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Tend Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tend-blame-583131/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Although my doctors informed me that I suffered a cerebral concussion, as well as shock, I do not seek to escape responsibility for my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/although-my-doctors-informed-me-that-i-suffered-a-cerebral-concussion/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [I'm not mad at digital media at all; I just see the importance and beauty of physical media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-mad-at-digital-media-at-all-i-just-see-the-importance-and/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Far from being dead, physical media has years of life left and must be preserved because there is no better alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/far-from-being-dead-physical-media-has-years-of-life-left-and-must-be/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [“Not only are we digital immigrants, we are also media dinosaurs. We enjoy thumbing through glossy magazines, and maybe still subscribe to a daily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-lamont/not-only-are-we-digital-immigrants-we-are-also-media-dinosaurs-we/) [Ian Lamont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-lamont/) > [I feel more reassured with physical media. Entertainment is something that will not just become digital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeru-miyamoto/i-feel-more-reassured-with-physical-media-entertainment-is-something/) [Shigeru Miyamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeru-miyamoto/) > [ I do believe CDSs \[credit default swaps\] have been miscast, much as poor workmen tend to blame their tools. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blythe-masters/i-do-believe-cdss-credit-default-swaps-have-been-miscast-much-as-poor/) [Blythe Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blythe-masters/) > [I think people nowadays do tend to blame their parents for everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/i-think-people-nowadays-do-tend-to-blame-their-parents-for-everything/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [People don't admit their faults because they hate feeling guilty so they tend to blame others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-don-t-admit-their-faults-because-they-hate-feeling-guilty-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of love records or breakup records, a lot of the songs can tend to be on the blame side and the bitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-atkins/a-lot-of-love-records-or-breakup-records-a-lot-of-the-songs-can-tend/) [Nicole Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-atkins/) > [“The literature hardly helps. You remember it only when you are well, healthy, and in a positive state of mind. And you tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/girdhar-joshi/the-literature-hardly-helps-you-remember-it-only-when-you-are-well/) [Girdhar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/girdhar-joshi/) > [“Those who are weakest often tend to blame others for their own incompetence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-geach/those-who-are-weakest-often-tend-to-blame-others-for-their-own/) [Gabriella Geach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-geach/) > [Plan to throw one (implementation) away; you will, anyhow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/plan-to-throw-one-implementation-away-you-will-anyhow/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [The term architecture is used here to describe the attributes of a system as seen by the programmer, i.e., the conceptual structure and functional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/the-term-architecture-is-used-here-to-describe-the-attributes-of-a/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [Nest is one vertical implementation of a set of smart products for the home. But we will support other peoples smart products for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sundar-pichai/nest-is-one-vertical-implementation-of-a-set-of-smart-products-for/) [Sundar Pichai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sundar-pichai/) > [The Wesnoth devs are good but not exceptionally so, and we're weighed down by a crappy implementation language (C++). Nevertheless our productivity, in terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-wesnoth-devs-are-good-but-not-exceptionally-so-and-we-re-weighed/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) ## More by Fred Brooks > [Predictability and great design are not friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/predictability-and-great-design-are-not-friends/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [More software projects have gone awry for lack of calendar time than for all other causes combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/more-software-projects-have-gone-awry-for-lack-of-calendar-time-than/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [The first step toward the management of disease was replacement of demon theories and humours theories by the germ theory. That very step, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/the-first-step-toward-the-management-of-disease-was-replacement-of/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [An ancient adage warns, "Never go to sea with two chronometers; take one or three."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/an-ancient-adage-warns-never-go-to-sea-with-two-chronometers-take-one/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [Nine people can't make a baby in a month.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/nine-people-can-t-make-a-baby-in-a-month/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [Software work is the most complex that humanity has ever undertaken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/software-work-is-the-most-complex-that-humanity-has-ever-undertaken/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [A computer program is a message from a man to a machine. 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If you inform, you will impress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/present-to-inform-not-to-impress-if-you-inform-you-will-impress/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [Product procedure...must securely protect the crown jewels, but, equally important, it must eschew building high fences around the garbage cans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/product-procedure-must-securely-protect-the-crown-jewels-but-equally/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [The hardest single part of building a software system is deciding precisely what to build.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/the-hardest-single-part-of-building-a-software-system-is-deciding/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [Job Control Language is the worst programming language ever designed anywhere by anybody for any purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/job-control-language-is-the-worst-programming-language-ever-designed/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [How does a project get to be a year behind schedule? One day at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/how-does-a-project-get-to-be-a-year-behind-schedule-one-day-at-a-time/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) > [One can expect the human race to continue attempting systems just within or just beyond our reach; and software systems are perhaps the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/one-can-expect-the-human-race-to-continue-attempting-systems-just/) [Fred Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) [Explore all 60 Fred Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) [Nurnizz95](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nurnizz95/) > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/) [Yeasin Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeasin-khan/) > [A refusal to admit one's mistake & not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) [Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We tend to blame the physical media for most of our implementation difficulties; for the media are not \"ours\" in the way the ideas are, and our pride colors our judgement.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fred Brooks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/we-tend-to-blame-the-physical-media-for-most-of-our-implementation/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/we-tend-to-blame-the-physical-media-for-most-of-our-implementation/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/fred-brooks-11366_blame_we-tend-to-blame-the-physical-media-for_663772.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/fred-brooks-11366_blame_we-tend-to-blame-the-physical-media-for_663772.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d1/fred-brooks-11366_blame_we-tend-to-blame-the-physical-media-for_663772.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We tend to blame the physical media for most of our implementation difficulties; for the media are not…” — Fred Brooks", "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": "Fred Brooks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-brooks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We tend to blame the physical...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/we-tend-to-blame-the-physical-media-for-most-of-our-implementation/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-brooks/we-tend-to-blame-the-physical-media-for-most-of-our-implementation/#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 } } ] } ```