4 ms·

It is a problem in the tech industry. It's a problem in pretty much every other industry as well. It is worse in tech than most other industries because there a

It is a problem in the tech industry. It's a problem in pretty much every other industry as well. It is worse in tech than most other industries because there are more men in positions of power? Maybe, but I don't think it matters to how we respond to it. We here on HN are nearly all members of the tech industry, not other industries. Any amount of harassment is intolerable and it doesn't matter if it's worse in Hollywood or some other industry. That's no excuse. As members of a community/industry we have a collective responsibility for what goes on; for our own behaviour, for the behaviour we let men get away with, and for supporting victims.

mcculley 9y ago
There are more men in power in tech than in other industries? Real estate? Accounting? Hollywood? Construction? No. They just don’t have blogs.
- jacalata 9y ago
  What are you arguing here? That the tech industry has fewer people than those others?
  - mcculley 9y ago
    I don't understand your second question. I'm not arguing that other industries have different numbers of people. I'm saying I'm not convinced that tech is more misogynistic and less meritocratic than other industries, especially entrenched industries with much fewer blogs and conferences where people get drunk around campfires.
mcculley 9y ago
I’m not arguing against any responsibility to improve the situation. I’m not convinced it is somehow specific to tech.
- masklinn 9y ago
  > I’m not convinced it is somehow specific to tech. I don't think I've commonly seen that claim, aside from an "all lives matter"-style dodge used to try and derail conversation in tech e.g. "tech has this problem" "not just tech", the original claim was never that the issue is exclusive to tech, only that it exists in tech.
  - mcculley 9y ago
    I've read plenty of tweets and posts that claim that the tech industry is particularly misogynistic. I'm not convinced the tech industry is more misogynistic than other industries with which I have experience. I think there is some cognitive bias caused by the fact that the tech industry has more bloggers and more free time for drinking around campfires and calling it a conference.
  - Chris2048 9y ago
    Are you making an accusation of derailment, or just throwing it out there?
- mercer 9y ago
  It seems on the less useful side of pedantic to bring this up though, much as I'm a huge pedant myself and understand the urge. Is there a particular reason why you feel this is an important point to make (honest question)?
  - mcculley 9y ago
    It’s a more general problem in need of a solution. It is in no way specific to tech. I’m involved in a lot of industries. I see a lot of claims that tech is particularly mysoginistic. I don’t think that is true, compared to other industries.
    - mercer 9y ago
      Yeah, in hindsight I don't take issue with your statement. It's true, and worth pointing out. I guess I just reflexively started assuming that such comments are in the 'whataboutism' category, but I have no reason assume that you meant it as such. My apologies for that.

mcculley 9y ago

There are more men in power in tech than in other industries? Real estate? Accounting? Hollywood? Construction? No. They just don’t have blogs.

jacalata 9y ago
What are you arguing here? That the tech industry has fewer people than those others?
- mcculley 9y ago
  I don't understand your second question. I'm not arguing that other industries have different numbers of people. I'm saying I'm not convinced that tech is more misogynistic and less meritocratic than other industries, especially entrenched industries with much fewer blogs and conferences where people get drunk around campfires.

mcculley 9y ago

I’m not arguing against any responsibility to improve the situation. I’m not convinced it is somehow specific to tech.

masklinn 9y ago
> I’m not convinced it is somehow specific to tech. I don't think I've commonly seen that claim, aside from an "all lives matter"-style dodge used to try and derail conversation in tech e.g. "tech has this problem" "not just tech", the original claim was never that the issue is exclusive to tech, only that it exists in tech.
- mcculley 9y ago
  I've read plenty of tweets and posts that claim that the tech industry is particularly misogynistic. I'm not convinced the tech industry is more misogynistic than other industries with which I have experience. I think there is some cognitive bias caused by the fact that the tech industry has more bloggers and more free time for drinking around campfires and calling it a conference.
- Chris2048 9y ago
  Are you making an accusation of derailment, or just throwing it out there?
mercer 9y ago
It seems on the less useful side of pedantic to bring this up though, much as I'm a huge pedant myself and understand the urge. Is there a particular reason why you feel this is an important point to make (honest question)?
- mcculley 9y ago
  It’s a more general problem in need of a solution. It is in no way specific to tech. I’m involved in a lot of industries. I see a lot of claims that tech is particularly mysoginistic. I don’t think that is true, compared to other industries.
  - mercer 9y ago
    Yeah, in hindsight I don't take issue with your statement. It's true, and worth pointing out. I guess I just reflexively started assuming that such comments are in the 'whataboutism' category, but I have no reason assume that you meant it as such. My apologies for that.