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So the takeaway is: you should become extremely proficient at writing memos and back them up with vast amounts of research, or be fired. But all of the above ap

So the takeaway is: you should become extremely proficient at writing memos and back them up with vast amounts of research, or be fired. But all of the above applies only if your memo expresses conservative ideas. I don't consider myself a conservative but I find all of this disturbing.

jdoliner 9y ago
Damore isn't a conservative either by any stretch of the imagination. He's a liberal that wandered into some conservative ideas. FWIW I don't think any amount of proficient writing or research is going to yield a different response.
- abvdasker 9y ago
  If Damore is a "liberal" then I defy you to find any sitting Democratic party representative who would endorse his views. The definition of the word "liberal" itself basically conflicts with his views.
  - UK-AL 9y ago
    He a self confessed classical liberal. A classical liberal would have views similar to his own. Let people follow their own preferences, rather than trying to shape the world how you think it should be. That's issue here. He isn't against diversity, but he is against trying to shape society towards some 'ideal' using rules, and regulations.
dguaraglia 9y ago
Maybe the takeaway is: you shouldn't write "memos" that generate a lot of noise and lost productivity in your work environment and affect your company's external image. If you have political points you want to make, go find a group of like-minded individuals and discuss with them first.
- lliamander 9y ago
  What if you think the issues you are bringing up are already a problem for the company, and the company just isn't willing to admit it?
  - dguaraglia 9y ago
    In that case you have an off-line discussion with a group of friends to validate your idea. If there seems to be a consensus, you raise the point at the next TGIF (the internal Alphabet-wide gathering every Thursday), tactfully and without making generalizations about gender and without inflammatory arguments against your perceived political leanings of the company. I was there during the whole Nest reorg/culture drama for crying out loud. I've seen people lob really hairy questions at the TGIF panel and I don't recall a single one of them getting fired.
    - lliamander 9y ago
      > In that case you have an off-line discussion with a group of friends to validate your idea. He brought it to the Google Skeptics group for precisely that reason. > If there seems to be a consensus, you raise the point at the next TGIF (the internal Alphabet-wide gathering every Thursday), tactfully and without making generalizations about gender and without inflammatory arguments against your perceived political leanings of the company. What point would that be?
      - dguaraglia 9y ago
        > He brought it to the Google Skeptics group for precisely that reason That's not an off-line resource. That's a public mailing list reachable by any employee. It's not even remotely what I am suggesting. > What point would that be? "I believe our current hiring practices might be affecting certain candidates because A, B and C mechanism stop/hinder/disproportionally-favor X, Y, Z groups" No need for building an argument about biological differences between men and women, no reason to build an antagonistic recount of what you think the motivations are, no need to call your peers and higher ups "Leftist." State the facts, ask the question, move on. Assuming he really cared about hiring practices (which is purportedly the reason he wrote the memo), that would've gotten everyone's attention and I can guarantee that nobody would've gotten fired.
dymk 9y ago
The takeaway is don't circulate your sexist opinions widely within the company you work at, especially when you're calling your opinions fact.

jdoliner 9y ago

Damore isn't a conservative either by any stretch of the imagination. He's a liberal that wandered into some conservative ideas. FWIW I don't think any amount of proficient writing or research is going to yield a different response.

abvdasker 9y ago
If Damore is a "liberal" then I defy you to find any sitting Democratic party representative who would endorse his views. The definition of the word "liberal" itself basically conflicts with his views.
- UK-AL 9y ago
  He a self confessed classical liberal. A classical liberal would have views similar to his own. Let people follow their own preferences, rather than trying to shape the world how you think it should be. That's issue here. He isn't against diversity, but he is against trying to shape society towards some 'ideal' using rules, and regulations.

dguaraglia 9y ago

Maybe the takeaway is: you shouldn't write "memos" that generate a lot of noise and lost productivity in your work environment and affect your company's external image. If you have political points you want to make, go find a group of like-minded individuals and discuss with them first.

lliamander 9y ago
What if you think the issues you are bringing up are already a problem for the company, and the company just isn't willing to admit it?
- dguaraglia 9y ago
  In that case you have an off-line discussion with a group of friends to validate your idea. If there seems to be a consensus, you raise the point at the next TGIF (the internal Alphabet-wide gathering every Thursday), tactfully and without making generalizations about gender and without inflammatory arguments against your perceived political leanings of the company. I was there during the whole Nest reorg/culture drama for crying out loud. I've seen people lob really hairy questions at the TGIF panel and I don't recall a single one of them getting fired.
  - lliamander 9y ago
    > In that case you have an off-line discussion with a group of friends to validate your idea. He brought it to the Google Skeptics group for precisely that reason. > If there seems to be a consensus, you raise the point at the next TGIF (the internal Alphabet-wide gathering every Thursday), tactfully and without making generalizations about gender and without inflammatory arguments against your perceived political leanings of the company. What point would that be?
    - dguaraglia 9y ago
      > He brought it to the Google Skeptics group for precisely that reason That's not an off-line resource. That's a public mailing list reachable by any employee. It's not even remotely what I am suggesting. > What point would that be? "I believe our current hiring practices might be affecting certain candidates because A, B and C mechanism stop/hinder/disproportionally-favor X, Y, Z groups" No need for building an argument about biological differences between men and women, no reason to build an antagonistic recount of what you think the motivations are, no need to call your peers and higher ups "Leftist." State the facts, ask the question, move on. Assuming he really cared about hiring practices (which is purportedly the reason he wrote the memo), that would've gotten everyone's attention and I can guarantee that nobody would've gotten fired.

dymk 9y ago

The takeaway is don't circulate your sexist opinions widely within the company you work at, especially when you're calling your opinions fact.