Definition: Manualjacking happens when an ignorant person attempts to school the creator of a system, product, or concept using its official guidelines—unaware they’re lecturing the original architect. Think HR rejecting a programming language’s co-creator for “insufficient experience,” or a professor advising a grad student to “read the Wikipedia article” they wrote.
The glorious climax involves the veteran calmly producing proof of their authorship (like Jim pointing at his manual photo), instantly vaporizing the critic’s credibility. It’s the verbal equivalent of watching someone dig their own grave with your shovel.
Example:
The junior tech support agent cited the software manual while correcting the system’s lead designer, unaware he was lecturing its original architect.
A conference attendee confidently told the keynote speaker to “read the foundational paper,” not realizing she was recommending the speaker’s own published work.