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Object-Oriented Programming is Embarrassing: 4 Short Examples

Object-Oriented Programming is Embarrassing: 4 Short Examples on HackerTube: recommended by 6 Hacker News commenters across 5 separate months, 2016–2025.

Brian Will

commentary · intermediate · evergreen

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Brian Will follows up his earlier anti-OOP video by walking through four short code examples, including Java code in the style of Uncle Bob, to show how object-oriented design complicates simple programs. It argues that OOP hides and scatters state and adds needless indirection.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN commenters point to it as a sharp, example-driven critique of OOP and Clean Code style, often alongside Brian Will's other anti-OO videos.

people recommended it
6
separate months
5
strong recommendations
2
discussed on HN
2016–2025
“I highly recommend "Object Oriented Programming is Bad" and "Object Oriented Programming is Embarrassing" on Youtube.”
— rubyist5eva, Mar 2021, in “Why OO Sucks by Joe Armstrong (2000)”

What HN commenters said

8 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.

ravenstineJul 2025Strongly recommends

One of my favorites: "Object-Oriented Programming is Bad" [link] Followed by "Object-Oriented Programming is Embarrassing: 4 Short Examples". ▶ this video

in “Python classes aren’t always the best solution” · View on HN

rubyist5evaMar 2021Strongly recommends

I highly recommend "Object Oriented Programming is Bad" and "Object Oriented Programming is Embarrassing" on Youtube. [link] ▶ this video

in “Why OO Sucks by Joe Armstrong (2000)” · View on HN

pentaphobeMay 2021Recommends

Somewhat relatedly (covers some very similar concerns and IIRC even references "Clean Code"), Brian Wills has a few good videos [link] ▶ this video

in “It's probably time to stop recommending Clean Code (2020)” · View on HN

smnplkOct 2019Recommends

Check out this video ▶ this video from Brian Will, where he dissects 4 different code examples. I think one of the examples is also some Java code from Robert "Uncle Bob" Martin.

in “Object-Oriented Programming and Essential State” · View on HN

lazulicurioOct 2019Recommends

There was an article on state in OOP posted here a few days ago that I found very thought-provoking[1]. The blog post and related youtube videos are pretty interesting as well[2][3][4]. [1] [link] [2] [link] [3] [link] [4] ▶ this video

in “Why Isn't Functional Programming the Norm? [video]” · View on HN

DrScumpMar 2016Recommends

Perhaps the Brian Will anti-OO videos provide more useful examples: [link] "Object-Oriented Programming is Bad" ▶ this video "Object-Oriented Programming is Embarrassing: 4 Short Examples"

in “Inheritance Is Terrible” · View on HN

Show 2 more comments
lj3Dec 2016Cites it

There are three talks, actually. Here are the other two. Object-Oriented Programming is Embarrassing: 4 Short Examples[0] Object-Oriented Programming is Garbage: 3800 SLOC example[1] [0]: ▶ this video [1]: [link]

in “Talks that changed the way I think about programming” · View on HN

thunderbongMar 2016Cites it

Previous videos Object-Oriented Programming is Bad [link] Object-Oriented Programming is Embarrassing: 4 Short Examples ▶ this video I'm watching the 'is Bad' one, and honestly, it rings too close to my experience. Need to think about this a bit more deeply!

in “Object-Oriented Programming is Garbage: 3800 SLOC example [video]” · View on HN

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