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I will also directly address this comment as an Uber engineer without any deep vested commitment to Uber i.e. not an early employee who can't leave for the FANG

I will also directly address this comment as an Uber engineer without any deep vested commitment to Uber i.e. not an early employee who can't leave for the FANGs of the world for the same incentives. Your viewpoint is incredibly naive and dangerous I am sorry. There are a few nuances worth understanding: 1. A lot of Uber's rotten culture stems from top-down, from Travis, who while not intending malice, operated from a viewpoint of fear and paranoia. That very top-down set up has now been replaced all the way up from the CEO. Why would someone not want to be part of that especially when you're able to see the change first-hand. Past skeletons still need to be cleared out but what happens once the company starts afresh?. You owe it to yourself to keep an open mind and not prophesize the very one-sides narrative that sells a lot better in the media circles. 2. While I can sympathize with #1, I am not sure how you can make the claim that Uber is in the business of screwing people over. It's outsized impact to consumers – both riders and drivers – is the favorite aspect of working at Uber. Most of us would otherwise be busy forcing people to click on spammy ads. Uber for me has helped blur the line between digital and human impact and I have first-hand noticed the impact from my work. Think about how fewer riders need to drink and drive because of Uber. In most of our cities, drivers who initially would have no source of part-time income, are now able to make money for all sorts of needs (help kids pay for college, side-gig while recovering from an injury are ones I have heard first-hand recently). Hearing these stories is inspiring. It compels you to get rid of the bad parts and be part of the change. In addressing your direct comment, I am proud to tell my kids the opportunities I have helped create for people across the world. Now if only we figured out to sell our story better and win people over such as yourself. Give us some time :)

pimmen 9y ago
I do agree that a lot of Uber’s impact is positive on both riders and drivers. Every time an Uber scandal rolls by I’ve heard the same two quotes from friends and family; ”Really? All I know about Uber is that when I used them in a completely foreign country it was still the best taxi experience I’ve ever had” or ”My son drives for them to get money on the side in college”. People are amazed about these two sides; management not really caring about who or what is in the way and the employees such as yourself delivering such great value. I’m not going to pretend my employer is Jesus or something, they’ve done their fair share of bad stuff that puts their name in the paper too, but I personally feel like there is a line. When you witness so many cases of the management prioritizing profit over being decent, doesn’t that bother you? I could pull up five serious cases of abuse of trust Uber is directly responsible for that happened just this year, is there a number of infractions on the magnitude this poor woman has suffered that would make you leave?
- BoiledCabbage 9y ago
  This thread is incredible to be. I think it really is an HN/SV bubble, but people really can't stop comparing and equating moral failures and business success. Moral failures (which Uber has shown time and time again) should not be compared to whether or not their business is useful to you. Business failures should be compared to business success, and moral bad should be compared with moral good. Uber has shown little to zero moral good. Not treating their employees who drive for them like crap would be a good place to start. Or their customers when raped would be another. Lyft also provides huge business value in the exact same industry but without all the immoral baggage (as far as I've seen). But this view on HN hat business value somehow replaces moral value mind boggling.

pimmen 9y ago

I do agree that a lot of Uber’s impact is positive on both riders and drivers. Every time an Uber scandal rolls by I’ve heard the same two quotes from friends and family; ”Really? All I know about Uber is that when I used them in a completely foreign country it was still the best taxi experience I’ve ever had” or ”My son drives for them to get money on the side in college”. People are amazed about these two sides; management not really caring about who or what is in the way and the employees such as yourself delivering such great value. I’m not going to pretend my employer is Jesus or something, they’ve done their fair share of bad stuff that puts their name in the paper too, but I personally feel like there is a line. When you witness so many cases of the management prioritizing profit over being decent, doesn’t that bother you? I could pull up five serious cases of abuse of trust Uber is directly responsible for that happened just this year, is there a number of infractions on the magnitude this poor woman has suffered that would make you leave?

BoiledCabbage 9y ago
This thread is incredible to be. I think it really is an HN/SV bubble, but people really can't stop comparing and equating moral failures and business success. Moral failures (which Uber has shown time and time again) should not be compared to whether or not their business is useful to you. Business failures should be compared to business success, and moral bad should be compared with moral good. Uber has shown little to zero moral good. Not treating their employees who drive for them like crap would be a good place to start. Or their customers when raped would be another. Lyft also provides huge business value in the exact same industry but without all the immoral baggage (as far as I've seen). But this view on HN hat business value somehow replaces moral value mind boggling.