4 ms·

Since hardly anyone has firsthand knowledge of what happened, everyone is extrapolating (it's all anyone can do really). You are extrapolating that this is a ca

by mwfunk 10y ago

Since hardly anyone has firsthand knowledge of what happened, everyone is extrapolating (it's all anyone can do really). You are extrapolating that this is a case where individuality is getting crushed by The System and this guy's only crime was speaking the truth and not conforming to this or that soul crushing norm of professional life. For the most part the less sympathetic comments I've seen are extrapolating that there may have been issues with maturity, professionalism, self-awareness, "reading the room", etc. Of course those comments also come from people extrapolating about what really happened based on the account of one person. The truth is unknowable to almost everyone here, so all people can do is compare what was written to their own experiences. I don't think you're any more right or wrong than anyone else here, but I think your interpretation is based on a different reading of the situation altogether, rather than everyone reading it the same way but having different notions of what was just or unjust about what happened.

Chinjut 10y ago
I'm not saying he was crushed for his individuality and truth-speaking then. As I said, I have no idea what he was like in the past, or the merits of his tenure case. I'm saying people, in this thread, are taking him to task for criticizing his (soon to be ex-)employer publicly now. That "Don't criticize your employer!" norm, to me, is a bizarre one for strangers to get upset over deviations from.
- tdb7893 10y ago
  Vocal criticisms for a former employer will do nothing but come back to bite you. It looks pretty bad to future employers and burns bridges unnecessarily with the former employer, who you generally have to rely on for recommendations. In this case the public criticism being in general a bad idea just highlighted the lack of political acumen that this guy had already shown.
  - Chinjut 10y ago
    This becomes the chilling effect that one must never criticize their former employers, regardless of what happened or how one feels; they are to be treated as above reproach. Which is exactly the worry.
    - tdb7893 10y ago
      An analogy for it might be someone complaining about their ex on Facebook. You can still complain in private and voice your opinions when it's relevant but doing it in a public forum without prompting just screams immaturity. I mean it does have a chilling effect but I don't think that's always a bad thing (people's reaction to this post being a prime example as to why)

by mwfunk 10y ago

Chinjut 10y ago

I'm not saying he was crushed for his individuality and truth-speaking then. As I said, I have no idea what he was like in the past, or the merits of his tenure case. I'm saying people, in this thread, are taking him to task for criticizing his (soon to be ex-)employer publicly now. That "Don't criticize your employer!" norm, to me, is a bizarre one for strangers to get upset over deviations from.

tdb7893 10y ago
Vocal criticisms for a former employer will do nothing but come back to bite you. It looks pretty bad to future employers and burns bridges unnecessarily with the former employer, who you generally have to rely on for recommendations. In this case the public criticism being in general a bad idea just highlighted the lack of political acumen that this guy had already shown.
- Chinjut 10y ago
  This becomes the chilling effect that one must never criticize their former employers, regardless of what happened or how one feels; they are to be treated as above reproach. Which is exactly the worry.
  - tdb7893 10y ago
    An analogy for it might be someone complaining about their ex on Facebook. You can still complain in private and voice your opinions when it's relevant but doing it in a public forum without prompting just screams immaturity. I mean it does have a chilling effect but I don't think that's always a bad thing (people's reaction to this post being a prime example as to why)