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Powerful comment on how we cancel ourselves, before we let others do it to us -- Just observing today my favourited and most impactful (to me) articles on HN

Powerful comment on how we cancel ourselves, before we let others do it to us -- Just observing today my favourited and most impactful (to me) articles on HN were all flagged Why do we do this to ourselves?

tick_tock_tick 5y ago
Because most people don't want to be tracked down, harassed, or forced out of their job because they said something someone took as offensive to the wrong people. People use twitter as their personal army and no one is worse than people who think they are morally just. C.S. Lewis articulates this well. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/19967-of-all-tyrannies-a-tyranny-sincerely-exercised-for-the-good https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/19967-of-all-tyrannies-a-ty...
- RIMR 5y ago
  Free speech includes calling your employer and telling them what you said online. Your employer doesn't have to listen or do anything about it. Should they choose to fire you, it's because whatever you said online was deemed worth firing you for. If the things you want to say online could get you fired, find a new job before opening your mouth. If you like your job, don't do things that will get you fired. Free speech doesn't mean that people have to be forced to tolerate what you say. If your words make it to your employer's ears, and they decide to terminate your employment, that's because your employer no longer views your employment as worthwhile, which is entirely their choice to make. Most of America is at-will employment. If you want to establish the right to work, fight for that - otherwise, accept that your employment comes with certain terms.
  - type0 5y ago
    > Free speech includes calling your employer and telling them what you said online. Sure, and quoting things out of context is of course also free speech /s
  - lmm 5y ago
    > If you want to establish the right to work, fight for that I do, at every opportunity. But in the meantime we live in an imperfect world and should adjust our social norms accordingly.
paganel 5y ago
What articles were those? Was on my phone for most of the day (i.e. not in front of my work desktop) and I couldn’t catch them as easily.

tick_tock_tick 5y ago

Because most people don't want to be tracked down, harassed, or forced out of their job because they said something someone took as offensive to the wrong people. People use twitter as their personal army and no one is worse than people who think they are morally just. C.S. Lewis articulates this well. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/19967-of-all-tyrannies-a-tyranny-sincerely-exercised-for-the-good https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/19967-of-all-tyrannies-a-ty...

RIMR 5y ago
Free speech includes calling your employer and telling them what you said online. Your employer doesn't have to listen or do anything about it. Should they choose to fire you, it's because whatever you said online was deemed worth firing you for. If the things you want to say online could get you fired, find a new job before opening your mouth. If you like your job, don't do things that will get you fired. Free speech doesn't mean that people have to be forced to tolerate what you say. If your words make it to your employer's ears, and they decide to terminate your employment, that's because your employer no longer views your employment as worthwhile, which is entirely their choice to make. Most of America is at-will employment. If you want to establish the right to work, fight for that - otherwise, accept that your employment comes with certain terms.
- type0 5y ago
  > Free speech includes calling your employer and telling them what you said online. Sure, and quoting things out of context is of course also free speech /s
- lmm 5y ago
  > If you want to establish the right to work, fight for that I do, at every opportunity. But in the meantime we live in an imperfect world and should adjust our social norms accordingly.

paganel 5y ago

What articles were those? Was on my phone for most of the day (i.e. not in front of my work desktop) and I couldn’t catch them as easily.