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Object-Oriented Programming is Embarrassing: 4 Short Examples

Brian Will6 HN recommenders · 2016–2025
2.2M views · commentary · evergreen · Uploaded 2016-03-04

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.

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.

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8 comments from Hacker News

@DrScump2016 · in “Inheritance Is Terrible”

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

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@thunderbong2016 · in “Object-Oriented Programming is Garbage: 3800 SLOC example [video]”

Previous videos Object-Oriented Programming is Bad [LINK] Object-Oriented Programming is Embarrassing: 4 Short Examples [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!

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@lj32016 · in “Talks that changed the way I think about programming”

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]: [VIDEO] [1]: [LINK]

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@smnplk2019 · in “Object-Oriented Programming and Essential State”

Check out this video [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.

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@lazulicurio2019 · in “Why Isn't Functional Programming the Norm? [video]”

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] [VIDEO]

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@rubyist5eva2021 · in “Why OO Sucks by Joe Armstrong (2000)”

I highly recommend "Object Oriented Programming is Bad" and "Object Oriented Programming is Embarrassing" on Youtube. [LINK] [VIDEO]

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@pentaphobe2021 · in “It's probably time to stop recommending Clean Code (2020)”

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

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@ravenstine2025 · in “Python classes aren’t always the best solution”

One of my favorites: "Object-Oriented Programming is Bad" [LINK] Followed by "Object-Oriented Programming is Embarrassing: 4 Short Examples". [VIDEO]

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