Inspired by a Hacker News comment, and to perfectly complement the curated list of Awesome Falsehoods Programmers Believe in I maintain on the side, here is a glorious list of meta falsehoods:

Falsehoods

  1. Falsehoods are true.
  2. Falsehoods are false.
  3. Falsehoods are universal.
  4. Falsehoods do not change with time.
  5. There’s only one way to express a falsehood.
  6. No falsehoods overlap another.
  7. There are no falsehoods which are mutually exclusive.
  8. A falsehood correspond to a real-world usage.

Falsehood lists

  1. All falsehoods can be listed.
  2. Falsehood lists are a new trend.
  3. Falsehood lists are a good way of communication.
  4. Falsehood lists are regularly updated.
  5. There exists a falsehoods list that is entirely true.
  6. Falsehood lists covers one subject.
  7. Falsehood lists are terse.
  8. Falsehood lists are illustrated with counter-examples.

List format

  1. Numbered lists have no gap.
  2. Numbered lists are sorted.
  3. Falsehood lists don’t repeat themselves.
  4. Falsehood lists don’t repeat themselves.
  5. The same format is followed by each item.
  6. Falsehoods in lists are numbered.

Implementation

  • Every falsehood should be accounted for.
  • Every falsehood can be accounted for.
  • Making your code compatible with a falsehood doesn’t come with a price.
  • Falsehoods are addressed by standards.

Audience

  • Only widely believed falsehoods are listed.
  • Falsehood lists are for programmers.
  • Falsehood lists are written by programmers.
  • Falsehood lists are written by people with expertise in the matter.
  • Reading falsehoods lists make you a better programmer.
  • Reading falsehoods lists make you an expert.
  • Writing falsehoods lists make you a better programmer.
  • Writing falsehoods lists make you an expert.
  • Writer of falsehood lists are immune to their edicted falsehoods.
  • Compiling falsehoods lists make you a better programmer.
  • There are programmers who do not believe in any falsehood.
  • Only programmers are subjected to falsehoods.
  • Programmers can change their beliefs.
  • Discussing falsehoods is never a waste of time.

Meta

  • This list of falsehoods doesn’t apply to itself.
  • This list exists.