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> “I very much regret joining Google,” he says. “I figured it would be a good place to see intelligent arguments through." Um, here I thought it was a place to
by cbanek 7y ago
> “I very much regret joining Google,” he says. “I figured it would be a good place to see intelligent arguments through."
Um, here I thought it was a place to get some work done, not have political arguments? I don't see why so many people bring politics into the workplace unnecessarily. I have very strong political feelings, and I just try to keep them to myself at work, and talk about them outside of work. Especially if other people voice opinions to the opposite.
Work is hard enough to get done with just normal feelings about one's work, let alone getting politics involved.
- olooney 7y agoI know, right? I felt a lot of the "benefit of the doubt" I was extending this guy evaporate when I read that.
- Fellshard 7y agoMind, though, that your presumption is that they are walking in and bringing political opinions into a non-political square, when in fact he was bringing political opinions into a dedicated political square within Google.
- tempsy 7y agoIt's the nature of work today. The lines between "work" and "life" have been blurred. The whole "burnout" phenomenon is a direct result of the fact that people are more emotionally invested in their work than ever, so it's not really fair to suggest that employees leave "politics" at home when society is prodding you to bring your whole self to work everyday.
- traderjane 7y agoSome companies or organizations are also brazenly and proudly political or religious. You could just not work there but then you lose out on work opportunity.
- wyclif 7y agoWhatever our personal philosophies or politics, I think it's obvious that the nature of technical work has changed in America. Google's campus is lifestyle-designed. It's meant to maximise the time engineers spend on campus, with meals, laundry, massages, snacks, and other amenities. Is it any wonder that, even if employees try to create a mental/emotional strict separation between work and home life, they would be tempted to bring their personal beliefs into work with them? It's human nature and inevitable, and Google, Facebook, et al opened the Pandora's Box on this effect.
- aries1980 7y agoDo these thing happen at other companies where people spend 60+ hours at work? E.g. in Japan or financial companies like Goldman Sachs?
- BurningFrog 7y agoI think the point is that leftists at Google freely bring politics into the workplace as much as they like. But when a conservative tries to participate in the conversation he gets bullied and fired.
- markoman 7y agoThis is a bit disingenuous when you consider that most controversial/onerous topics are not injected into the workplace by most of these 'leftist' startups. If they let you bring your dog into work, what is controversial about animal welfare? If they make you sort your waste 2 or 3 ways, what is so onerous about enabling recycling? If you're threatened by the sight of solar cells on rooftops, is that anyone's fault? You won't find pro-immigration, abortion rights or even gun control topics displayed openly in workplaces (in most cases). While conservatism isn't much about sensitivity, today's conservatives are quite sensitive and intolerant to progressive policies (wherever they may encounter it). While I am not strongly positioned either way, I find it quite sad that the Right has to simply deny even the very science of global warming despite the handwriting on the wall being what it is. This intolerance and sensitivity is often the root of their desire to be heard, and loudly. As a result, they don't mind being particularly expressive and indignant about 'proclaiming' their beliefs, which can includes posts on internal forums. If you're (actually) fired for your beliefs and you're able to prove it, then you're more than welcome to access the various tort statutory laws that Liberals have provided you (by the way) and sue for 'wrongful termination'. What shocks me about conservatives is how they don't see the hypocrisy of demanding the same 'tolerance' from liberals when it is intolerance that underlies the majority of their own beliefs. Conservatives claim the very bedrocks of civilization regardless of country: the military & patriotism, religion, and business. Yet, they spend these resources only for their own political advantage instead of that of the country as a whole. Witness tax cuts for the rich.
- BurningFrog 7y ago> topics are not injected into the workplace by most of these 'leftist' startups You might be in the wrong thread. I was talking about Google.