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Chinese Tech Companies’ Dirty Secret [video]
- thereare5lights 8y agoreminds me of some bay area job postings
- seanmcdirmid 8y agoThey would be breaking the law if they did. Unlike China, sex discrimination is illegal in the USA and would be resolved very quickly in court if they decided to put out a job posting like that (likely with a huge civil settlement).
- vorg 8y agoWhen I worked in IT, the standard technique Western employers used to practise discrimination was to use independent recruiters to place job adverts and vet candidates before they were forwarded to the employer. When the recruiter and employer had an informal conversation a little later, perhaps over lunch, the employer would casually let slip that "if the new employee could speak another language, she would be able to interact easier with prospective clients", which the recruiter took mental note of before changing the subject. But perhaps things are different nowadays.
- seanmcdirmid 8y agoIf jobs ads were as blatant as they were in China, then they would definitely get sued. But there are many ways to game the system in rather legally safe ways where subjective decisions are involved.
- thereare5lights 8y agoinsidious and subtle discrimination is the name of the game in the US. it's definitely worse in that it's far harder to fight against.
- smallnamespace 8y agoAm I the only person who sees the perhaps inherent conflict between the liberal impulse for multiculturalism and its vision of racial and gender equality, in the sense that a liberal, Western perspective on gender and race is not a culturally neutral perspective? As a Chinese-American, I feel whipsawed when on the one hand, well-meaning generally liberal people make lofty paeans about how we should respect other cultures, but then turn right around and judge those same cultures and find them unworthy for not adhering to liberal Western cultural norms. In this case, the position is even more tenuous, because a substantial portion of Western society does not fully agree with liberal norms for gender equality. This is basically exporting the West's own culture wars, fought since the 60s, to other societies. There are of course tensions between the genders and sexes in China, like in any other society, but it's interesting to read the entire op-ed and not find an attempt to actually ask Chinese people what they think about the issue (the author notwithstanding), just a string of accusations with the unspoken presumption that 'if it feels wrong to us right-minded people, then it must be wrong'. To be completely blunt, paternalism is very deeply embedded in Chinese society, and its roots go back a couple thousand years to Confucianism. I don't see anyone seriously acknowledging or discussing that fact, nor the major changes that have happened since the 50s (often under an explicitly Communist ideology, where the only allowable conflict is between the classes). TL;DR - We respect all cultures and viewpoints, except all those which we judge wrong and sexist.
- deft 8y agoAgreed. China is an economic and societal rival though, so it makes sense to fight against 'their way' of doing things. In this specific case as well, it's pretty easy to argue that using female employees as advertisement isn't treating them equal at all.
- donald123 8y agoGiven all the public job postings, how does it become a secret?
- dogruck 8y agoIt’s not a secret. The general discrepancy — of differing cultural norms — is also not unique to China. Amazing how many people fantisize about a globalist utopia, accepting of all cultures, except the “offensive” cultures.
- thaumasiotes 8y ago> companies like Alibaba have published recruitment ads promising applicants “beautiful girls” as co-workers, labeling them “late night benefits.” While tech companies tout themselves as progressive to the rest of the world, these disturbing recruitment strategies show how deeply entrenched discrimination against women remains in China. How is promising that the work environment is full of girls an example of discrimination against women? If they promised that girls were rare, that would presumably be an improvement?
- dcre 8y agoHow is promising that the economy is full of slaves an example of discrimination against slaves? If they promised that slaves were rare, that would presumably be an improvement?
- thaumasiotes 8y ago> How is promising that the economy is full of slaves an example of discrimination against slaves? Pretty clearly, it isn't. Can you describe some sense in which it is? > If they promised that slaves were rare, that would presumably be an improvement? This would be an improvement to the extent that you are morally opposed to the concept of slavery. Very few people are opposed to the concept of women. Whether slaves becoming rare is a benefit to the slaves depends on how it's accomplished.
- Sangermaine 8y ago>How is promising that the work environment is full of girls an example of discrimination against women? If, as the author asserts, the women are being hired merely as rewards for the male workers while not really being given actual opportunities at their work.
- thaumasiotes 8y agoBeing hired into a do-nothing job is usually considered a perk.
- RcouF1uZ4gsC 8y agoHere are some other dirty "secrets" about China: * No free and fair elections. * No freedom of speech and of the press * One party rule * People imprisoned for their political and religious beliefs * Nobel Peace Prize winner died in Chinese custody * Freedom of travel can be fairly restrictive, especially if you are trying to leave the countryside China embraces the open market purely from a utilitarian perspective as to what will help them become and stay a superpower. There really is no big commitment to an individual "rights" based foundation for society. Because of that, it is not surprising that they discriminate against women.
- s2g 8y ago> One party rule pretty well straight up dictatorship now.
- powerapple 8y agoIn China, man pays for everything in a relationship...... and wives manage family account..