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Yes. If you feel differently, and you are a woman then I highly encourage you to become more involved with activism because that is the only way to make your vo

Yes. If you feel differently, and you are a woman then I highly encourage you to become more involved with activism because that is the only way to make your voice and opinions heard. It is not fair that all womens' positions have been decided by activists, and many women in tech have specifically noted this issue. However, activism is available for any individual interested in it.

OtterCoder 9y ago
You miss the point that a satisfied person has little incentive for activism. Also, most conservative opinions tend to be met with anything from disgust to derision online, further disincentivizing counter-protest.
- cm2187 9y ago
  or dismissal.
- jacobsheehy 9y ago
  > You miss the point that a satisfied person has little incentive for activism. This is interesting - what do you mean by this? I'm not sure what you mean in this context, but in an overall, general sense I strongly disagree. Certainly there is significant incentive for activism from a satisfied person. A person may be satisfied but that does not mean that there is not room for improvement or change. Satisfaction is something that is static, stagnant, and doesn't last forever. One day you may be satisfied with a product or political situation, and the next day you might not be even if it remains unchanged itself. Activism is a method of creating change. Everyone is incentivized by it because everyone can benefit immensely from change, even the ultra-rich. > Also, most conservative opinions tend to be met with anything from disgust to derision online, further disincentivizing counter-protest. I have found the opposite to be true, actually. Depending on the online community, sometimes it is the conservative opinions that are the only ones deemed acceptable by the community (as is often the case here on HN), and in others perhaps the liberal comments. But I have been a liberal commenter on the internet for nearly 20 years and I have found, time and time again, that the internet has little room for acceptance of left-wing opinions.
  - OtterCoder 9y ago
    I am frankly blown away that you feel persecuted for liberal opinions online. We must both go to the wrong fora for our ideologies.
  - briandear 9y ago
    > Everyone is incentivized by it because everyone can benefit immensely from change, even the ultra-rich. Not everyone. And, some people don't feel like they need charge. Some people are actually happy with their life, career and situation. > even the ultra-rich. What does the ultra-rich have to do with anything? You've kind of jumped the shark there.
throwaway613834 9y ago
> Yes. If you feel differently, and you are a woman then I highly encourage you to become more involved with activism because that is the only way to make your voice and opinions heard. And what kind of social or career impact on their lives do you expect from such activism against the current flow?
- aspaceman 9y ago
  In the United States, political views are a protected class and one can sue if fired on the basis of them. I expect one will claim that James Damore offers evidence of a life being "ruined" by their views, but I think the kid is doing pretty damn well for himself - especially due to his views. If you are a conservative activist in tech then feel free to shout your views from the rooftops, I'm sure there are many on 4chan who would love to follow you and help you succeed.
  - hrktb 9y ago
    You can still fire or give interesting projects to someone else for any other reason. Nobody’s perfect, if you need a decent excuse you’ll find one.
  - vonmoltke 9y ago
    > In the United States, political views are a protected class and one can sue if fired on the basis of them. Political views and affiliations are not protected under federal law, though at least some states have protected them. See this page: https://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html https://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
asyncanup 9y ago
couldn't agree more. perfectly put
jhall1468 9y ago
> Yes. If you feel differently, and you are a woman I'm not sure you understand the goal of gender equality. > then I highly encourage you to become more involved with activism because that is the only way to make your voice and opinions heard. I'm a software engineer. Every woman on our team is treated as an equal. Because they are. But apparently your experience = every experience. Maybe, just maybe, the women that you speak of are in the minority?
- aspaceman 9y ago
  > But apparently your experience = every experience. I never made any such claim. Instead you're the one arguing that because your team has no issues, then clearly the women who speak out are in the minority. I'm simply arguing that these women who speak out exist, and we shouldn't just ignore their claims without evaluating their merit. Instead, you say we should ignore them because they are "in the minority?". Maybe it is you who does understand the goals of gender equality. A view should never be ignored because it is the minority - it should be evaluated on the basis of its own merit.

OtterCoder 9y ago

You miss the point that a satisfied person has little incentive for activism. Also, most conservative opinions tend to be met with anything from disgust to derision online, further disincentivizing counter-protest.

cm2187 9y ago
or dismissal.
jacobsheehy 9y ago
> You miss the point that a satisfied person has little incentive for activism. This is interesting - what do you mean by this? I'm not sure what you mean in this context, but in an overall, general sense I strongly disagree. Certainly there is significant incentive for activism from a satisfied person. A person may be satisfied but that does not mean that there is not room for improvement or change. Satisfaction is something that is static, stagnant, and doesn't last forever. One day you may be satisfied with a product or political situation, and the next day you might not be even if it remains unchanged itself. Activism is a method of creating change. Everyone is incentivized by it because everyone can benefit immensely from change, even the ultra-rich. > Also, most conservative opinions tend to be met with anything from disgust to derision online, further disincentivizing counter-protest. I have found the opposite to be true, actually. Depending on the online community, sometimes it is the conservative opinions that are the only ones deemed acceptable by the community (as is often the case here on HN), and in others perhaps the liberal comments. But I have been a liberal commenter on the internet for nearly 20 years and I have found, time and time again, that the internet has little room for acceptance of left-wing opinions.
- OtterCoder 9y ago
  I am frankly blown away that you feel persecuted for liberal opinions online. We must both go to the wrong fora for our ideologies.
- briandear 9y ago
  > Everyone is incentivized by it because everyone can benefit immensely from change, even the ultra-rich. Not everyone. And, some people don't feel like they need charge. Some people are actually happy with their life, career and situation. > even the ultra-rich. What does the ultra-rich have to do with anything? You've kind of jumped the shark there.

throwaway613834 9y ago

> Yes. If you feel differently, and you are a woman then I highly encourage you to become more involved with activism because that is the only way to make your voice and opinions heard. And what kind of social or career impact on their lives do you expect from such activism against the current flow?

aspaceman 9y ago
In the United States, political views are a protected class and one can sue if fired on the basis of them. I expect one will claim that James Damore offers evidence of a life being "ruined" by their views, but I think the kid is doing pretty damn well for himself - especially due to his views. If you are a conservative activist in tech then feel free to shout your views from the rooftops, I'm sure there are many on 4chan who would love to follow you and help you succeed.
- hrktb 9y ago
  You can still fire or give interesting projects to someone else for any other reason. Nobody’s perfect, if you need a decent excuse you’ll find one.
- vonmoltke 9y ago
  > In the United States, political views are a protected class and one can sue if fired on the basis of them. Political views and affiliations are not protected under federal law, though at least some states have protected them. See this page: https://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html https://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

asyncanup 9y ago

couldn't agree more. perfectly put

jhall1468 9y ago

> Yes. If you feel differently, and you are a woman I'm not sure you understand the goal of gender equality. > then I highly encourage you to become more involved with activism because that is the only way to make your voice and opinions heard. I'm a software engineer. Every woman on our team is treated as an equal. Because they are. But apparently your experience = every experience. Maybe, just maybe, the women that you speak of are in the minority?

aspaceman 9y ago
> But apparently your experience = every experience. I never made any such claim. Instead you're the one arguing that because your team has no issues, then clearly the women who speak out are in the minority. I'm simply arguing that these women who speak out exist, and we shouldn't just ignore their claims without evaluating their merit. Instead, you say we should ignore them because they are "in the minority?". Maybe it is you who does understand the goals of gender equality. A view should never be ignored because it is the minority - it should be evaluated on the basis of its own merit.