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I don't understand the need to take a stand either way. If the experience has value, as you say, then IBM is shooting themselves in the foot and will suffer in

I don't understand the need to take a stand either way. If the experience has value, as you say, then IBM is shooting themselves in the foot and will suffer in the market. Meanwhile some other company will scoop up all this great economically efficient talent and get a market advantage. I tend to think you're right, but I don't feel the need to make IBM save itself.

tyingq 9y ago
"I don't feel the need to make IBM save itself" Yeah, I'm not specifically trying to make some plea to IBM. Just that the general practice of laying off experienced people, or only hiring young people, is dumb and not productive. I've personally seen that a mix of young/innovative and older/experienced is better than a homogenous extreme of either.
- Consultant32452 9y ago
  My point is that you don't need to plea with IBM or the general marketplace. If what you said is true then companies with that mix of young/innovative and older/experienced will outcompete everyone else. Let IBM's massive public failure be the message to others.
s73v3r_ 9y ago
Dude, you keep making these fallacious arguments that base themselves around the markets being perfectly rational. Stop it. Spend some time in the real world, and see that there is no truth to those appeals.
- Consultant32452 9y ago
  Whether or not markets are perfectly rational is irrelevant. I haven't seen an economic argument, an argument that suggests it's better for the employer if they keep the older workers, that justifies forcing them to against their will. There are arguments to be made that outlawing age discrimination is the moral thing to do. But it being the moral thing to do has nothing to do with whether or not it's the best business decision for every company.
  - s73v3r_ 9y ago
    "Whether or not markets are perfectly rational is irrelevant." When the crux of your argument is that the market will make things right, it very much is relevant. "I haven't seen an economic argument," Economics are not the sole thing in this world. "an argument that suggests it's better for the employer if they keep the older workers, that justifies forcing them to against their will." How about "Society said that discrimination is bad for the rest of society, so if you want the benefits of being in society, you follow the law."
    - Consultant32452 9y ago
      If you really are less capable, are you actually being discriminated against? What society says and what it really means are often very different. With regards to age discrimination, older people vote, so they may have simply wanted to subsidize themselves as they become less economically viable. This is not the same as them being treated "unfairly" with regards to equal pay for equal work.

tyingq 9y ago

"I don't feel the need to make IBM save itself" Yeah, I'm not specifically trying to make some plea to IBM. Just that the general practice of laying off experienced people, or only hiring young people, is dumb and not productive. I've personally seen that a mix of young/innovative and older/experienced is better than a homogenous extreme of either.

Consultant32452 9y ago
My point is that you don't need to plea with IBM or the general marketplace. If what you said is true then companies with that mix of young/innovative and older/experienced will outcompete everyone else. Let IBM's massive public failure be the message to others.

s73v3r_ 9y ago

Dude, you keep making these fallacious arguments that base themselves around the markets being perfectly rational. Stop it. Spend some time in the real world, and see that there is no truth to those appeals.

Consultant32452 9y ago
Whether or not markets are perfectly rational is irrelevant. I haven't seen an economic argument, an argument that suggests it's better for the employer if they keep the older workers, that justifies forcing them to against their will. There are arguments to be made that outlawing age discrimination is the moral thing to do. But it being the moral thing to do has nothing to do with whether or not it's the best business decision for every company.
- s73v3r_ 9y ago
  "Whether or not markets are perfectly rational is irrelevant." When the crux of your argument is that the market will make things right, it very much is relevant. "I haven't seen an economic argument," Economics are not the sole thing in this world. "an argument that suggests it's better for the employer if they keep the older workers, that justifies forcing them to against their will." How about "Society said that discrimination is bad for the rest of society, so if you want the benefits of being in society, you follow the law."
  - Consultant32452 9y ago
    If you really are less capable, are you actually being discriminated against? What society says and what it really means are often very different. With regards to age discrimination, older people vote, so they may have simply wanted to subsidize themselves as they become less economically viable. This is not the same as them being treated "unfairly" with regards to equal pay for equal work.