4 ms·

This is probably an unpopular or taboo opinion, but I believe in equal rights and merit based achievements. Basing employment, status or title on a persons gen

This is probably an unpopular or taboo opinion, but I believe in equal rights and merit based achievements. Basing employment, status or title on a persons gender or ethnic background is the opposite of equal rights, in my view. I see it as two wrongs trying to equal a right.

godzillabrennus 8y ago
Agreed. I’m sure my thoughts are also unpopular but if gender is a choice then maybe I do a reverse Lauren Southern and register as a woman to get a board spot and lower car insurance rates?
- creep 8y ago
  A man I know has already done this in order to get cheap car insurance. Kinda sad, really.
iron0013 8y ago
I'm surprised that you'd think yours would be an unpopular or taboo opinion on Hacker News, of all places. I opened this thread certain that it would be an echo chamber (other places where couthness is less mandatory might instead use a two-word phrase that begins with "circle...") of voices condemning this requirement--and, well, there currently appears to be one single post in support of it in the entire thread.
bcheung 8y ago
Isn't discriminating on the basis of sex the very definition of sexist? Also, what if it is a small company with only 1 person on the board? Now you are discriminating and saying "you're male, therefore you can't be the board member".
satokema 8y ago
This is actually the tech kool-aid, thanks for continuing to drink it. Merit is a bunch of horseshit when you get down to it. Realize that tons of people have jobs not on merit but because they scored more social points with the person in charge of headcount.
- LinuxBender 8y ago
  There is certainly truth in some people hiring their friends or family. I have seen that happen first hand. I have also helped off-board some managers that were hiring their friends. It isn't always easy and really requires a culture in your company that discourages such behavior. When you see this, ensure that you and your coworkers document all the facts with no emotion. Agree on timelines. Report it to your HR dept. and if you have an ethics team, include them as well. Ensure they understand the legal risk the managers are incurring on your company. Or .. if your company is just plain toxic, there are places like Glassdoor to document what is going on. At the board level, it gets really tricky and way beyond politics. There is usually company-company-partner-vendor back-scratching going on in very complicated circles that even takes merit and friendships somewhat out of the picture.
- dang 8y ago
  > This is actually the tech kool-aid, thanks for continuing to drink it. Please edit the uncivil and unsubstantive bits out of your comments here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

godzillabrennus 8y ago

Agreed. I’m sure my thoughts are also unpopular but if gender is a choice then maybe I do a reverse Lauren Southern and register as a woman to get a board spot and lower car insurance rates?

creep 8y ago
A man I know has already done this in order to get cheap car insurance. Kinda sad, really.

iron0013 8y ago

I'm surprised that you'd think yours would be an unpopular or taboo opinion on Hacker News, of all places. I opened this thread certain that it would be an echo chamber (other places where couthness is less mandatory might instead use a two-word phrase that begins with "circle...") of voices condemning this requirement--and, well, there currently appears to be one single post in support of it in the entire thread.

bcheung 8y ago

Isn't discriminating on the basis of sex the very definition of sexist? Also, what if it is a small company with only 1 person on the board? Now you are discriminating and saying "you're male, therefore you can't be the board member".

satokema 8y ago

This is actually the tech kool-aid, thanks for continuing to drink it. Merit is a bunch of horseshit when you get down to it. Realize that tons of people have jobs not on merit but because they scored more social points with the person in charge of headcount.

LinuxBender 8y ago
There is certainly truth in some people hiring their friends or family. I have seen that happen first hand. I have also helped off-board some managers that were hiring their friends. It isn't always easy and really requires a culture in your company that discourages such behavior. When you see this, ensure that you and your coworkers document all the facts with no emotion. Agree on timelines. Report it to your HR dept. and if you have an ethics team, include them as well. Ensure they understand the legal risk the managers are incurring on your company. Or .. if your company is just plain toxic, there are places like Glassdoor to document what is going on. At the board level, it gets really tricky and way beyond politics. There is usually company-company-partner-vendor back-scratching going on in very complicated circles that even takes merit and friendships somewhat out of the picture.
dang 8y ago
> This is actually the tech kool-aid, thanks for continuing to drink it. Please edit the uncivil and unsubstantive bits out of your comments here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html