this post was submitted on 24 Dec 2025
534 points (99.8% liked)

History Memes

1221 readers
1448 users here now

A place to share history memes!

Rules:

  1. No sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, assorted bigotry, etc.

  2. No fascism (including tankies/red fash), atrocity denial or apologia, etc.

  3. Tag NSFW pics as NSFW.

  4. Follow all Piefed.social rules.

Banner courtesy of @setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world

OTHER COMMS IN THE HISTORYVERSE:

founded 7 months ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] UnspecificGravity@piefed.social 139 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (8 children)

It was mostly women, which was actually a bigger problem because despite a massive headstart, the British computer industry basically fired every early computer scientist they had the moment the boys came home and sent the ladies back to the kitchen.

Then they couldn't navigate the conflict created by their class system: only gentleman received an education, but only working class men could work with machines, so who was supposed to work with computers?

In the end a big lead on computer development never really materialized into a real advantage for the UK because their culture just wasn't ready for it.

This is literally what breaking down social barriers (you know, DEI) is supposed to address, so maybe we don't waste the next opportunity.

[–] frizzo@piefed.social 7 points 16 hours ago

Fuck the UK. King wankers.

[–] oeuf@slrpnk.net 27 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

My grandmother was one of these women. She wouldn't even talk about it, probably for reasons to do with what you just said.

So much human potential is squandered by the false divisions holding people back.

[–] smeg@feddit.uk 15 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

If she worked at Bletchley or somewhere similarly top secret during the war then she probably wouldn't have talked about it because it was classified for decades

[–] UnspecificGravity@piefed.social 8 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

Was it classified because cracking the Enigma machine was still a matter of national security by the 1950s or because the UK didn't want to talk about the people that cracked it?

[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 2 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Enigma was widely used, not just by Germany during the war, and was still current in the 50s. Additionally, the methods used to defeat Enigma had value against other encryption. It is also the policy of British intelligence not to publicise their work or capabilities.

British intelligence workers also took the Official Secrets Act at its word, while their American counterparts eventually assumed that as it was in the past they could talk about it.

[–] smeg@feddit.uk 3 points 12 hours ago

Definitely the former (though maybe the latter too)

[–] frizzo@piefed.social 1 points 16 hours ago

False divisions or some say wage slave capitalism.

[–] massive_bereavement@fedia.io 30 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

I mean, who are you pretending that should do the soft part? Men!? Hahaha, men are supposed to do the hard ware, as we are hard, and only hard men are good for this job: Muscular, grisly and well toned men, with hard

Sorry what were we talking about?

[–] undeffeined@lemmy.ml 20 points 21 hours ago (1 children)
[–] AtariDump@lemmy.world 3 points 14 hours ago
[–] sad_detective_man@sopuli.xyz 43 points 1 day ago

I did not know about this. Thank you for prompting me to go learn some more about it

[–] schema@lemmy.world 4 points 18 hours ago

That's super interesting and also sad. Is there any good article or documentation where I can learn more about this?

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 4 points 21 hours ago

a self-brain drain.

[–] fushuan@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (2 children)

I think the meme was about ~~Tesla~~Turing but thanks for the insight.

[–] UnspecificGravity@piefed.social 5 points 13 hours ago

It might amaze you to learn that Turing did not work by himself, but actually led an entire team of codebreakers and programmers in Bletchley Park, the VAST majority of whom were women (despite what that dumb movie portrayed).

[–] problembasedperson@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 18 hours ago (1 children)
[–] fushuan@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 14 hours ago

Yeah sorry that's who I meant.

[–] frizzo@piefed.social 0 points 16 hours ago (3 children)

Also very funny once again white woman championing a minorities obstacle leading to his death and making it about them. Oh that homosexual was put to death but white women had to lose their job and return to a life of "doing chores at home" good work woman after 50 years of struggling now you get to do both!

[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 1 points 4 hours ago

Put to death? What is this nonsense? It is thought that he accidentally poisoned himself.

[–] MountingSuspicion@reddthat.com 3 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

Not really sure what you're getting at here. Turing was found guilty of a crime introduced to parliament by MP Henry Labouchere and passed by an all male parliament. Men had basically full control of society, and in fact a man was the one directly responsible for the situation surrounding the investigation that lead to Turings trial. The person you're responding to is adding that women were involved in code breaking and noted that this fact had far reaching implications throughout society. Though the UK is quite white, plenty of black women were affected by both the war and sex discrimination. Women tend to be more proLGBT, and the person you're responding to mentioned how DEI on the whole is important. You being dismissive of the work women put in and how that affected society doesn't really add much to the discussion.

It's important that society move away from the "great man" theory of history, and context like the one the above commenter provided is needed for that pivot.

[–] turboshadowcool@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Nicely put response to a low effort accusation. Thanks for putting in the effort to explain to frizzo what they overlooked. A shame they choose to double down on their ignorance and look like fool.

[–] frizzo@piefed.social 1 points 8 hours ago

Yes a shame indeed. Such a fool the entire world will be laughing at him. ☠️

[–] frizzo@piefed.social -1 points 11 hours ago

Yeah from your bullshit rambling response I can tell you don't understand stand what I'm getting at, Innit. Enjoy your awesome new society

[–] UnspecificGravity@piefed.social 2 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (1 children)

This might be the dumbest thing I have read today. Alan Turing is a widely recognized name, but few people are aware that the vast majority of the people who worked for him in were women. That part didn't even make it into the movie. Nothing like this is ever done by one person, and its on you if you can't get your head far enough out of your own ass to see that.

[–] frizzo@piefed.social 0 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Your lack of reading comprehension does not surprise me.

[–] UnspecificGravity@piefed.social 2 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

What part of your post do you think people don't understand?

[–] frizzo@piefed.social 0 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

I could draw you a picture but it would be a waste of ink. Maybe someday I'll be the dumbass whisperer but not today. Edit such a canned response you had to block me 😂 ☠️

[–] UnspecificGravity@piefed.social 2 points 9 hours ago

In other words this is just your canned response for when you get called out for posting stupid shit.