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In his presentation titled "Humor in The Code," Baratunde Thurston shares a humorous narrative that intertwines personal anecdotes with a broader discussion on technology, coding, and creativity. During the RailsConf 2014, he explores how humor and technology can coalesce to drive innovative storytelling and engagement across various platforms.

**Key Points Discussed:**  
- **Introduction and Personal Background:**  
  - Thurston begins by applauding the audience and humorously relates his connection to the Ruby programming language, mentioning his involvement with over 330 gems.  
  - He recounts family stories, including those of his ancestors and his mother, highlighting their struggles and accomplishments. This forms a backdrop to his journey into technology.

- **The Impact of Family on Career Choices:**  
  - Thurston discusses how his mother's career as a computer programmer, despite lacking formal education, influenced his path in tech and storytelling.  
  - He emphasizes the importance of mentorship and support from family in achieving one's goals.

- **Connection Between Humor and Technology:**  
  - Thurston argues that comedy can serve as a medium to innovate and communicate in tech spaces. He notes how humor can disarm and make complex topics more accessible.  
  - He presents examples like a comical Twitter account for the swine flu, illustrating how humor can enhance user engagement.

- **Innovative Projects:**  
  - He highlights projects from "Comedy Hack Day," where tech and comedy intersected to create tools and apps, showcasing the synergy between developers and comedians.  
  - Examples include an app that identifies music discreetly while users tweet and a website generator that creates absurd conspiracy theories.

- **Prevalence of Humor in Coding:**  
  - Thurston concludes by emphasizing that humor can be organically integrated into technology, proposing that as developers create, they should simultaneously foster creativity and fun to engage users in innovative ways.  
  - He encourages attendees to blend creativity with coding to build a more engaging and collaborative future.

**Takeaways:**  
- The integration of humor with tech promotes innovative thinking and user engagement.  
- Personal narratives can provide powerful insights into career paths and influences.  
- By fostering a collaborative atmosphere between tech and comedy, new tools and storytelling methods can emerge, making technology more relatable to a wider audience.

Thurston’s presentation exemplifies that humor is not just a tool for entertainment but can also be a profound catalyst for creative technology solutions.

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