3 ms·

It's important to read the stated reason from the company for his firing. He was fired for spreading "unhelpful stereotypes". These differences might be obvious

It's important to read the stated reason from the company for his firing. He was fired for spreading "unhelpful stereotypes". These differences might be obvious and natural to most of the world but they are unhelpful and not welcome in that company. The company wanted to fight against the stereotypes as they considered those a barrier. It's important to realise that the company in that episode never fought to properly and logically argue against the stereotypes and why they were factually false versus others arguing why they were true because that would have been much more troublesome. Much discussions on HN seem to get stuck around the logic and truth nature of the issue - where the actual stated reasons is all about what's "helpful" or not. In other words, if enough people feel something is sexist then it's in a company's best interest to agree with them.

Chris2048 5y ago
My old accountant maintained that $1+$1=$2, which was very harmful to my finances. I fired them immediately for such unhelpful stereotypes. My new accountant agrees that $1+$1=$3, creating a much less hostile work environment. S/He even practises intersectionality wrt profit vs debt - me and my employees have never been happier!
textgel 5y ago
That...changes nothing? It just demonstrates a collective insanity at the organisation in question. They're welcome to put their heads in the sand and claim whatever irrational bs they desire is "unhelpful" and "sexist" but that doesn't make it so.
flavius29663 5y ago
That was the whole point of the debacle, though. IIRC Google noticed that what they were currently doing was not bringing more women onboard, so they asked some of their employees for opinions. Damore wrote his, which circulated internally for a while with no issues. Then it was leaked and the cancel mob got to him. Only then Google fired him. It wasn't like he was trying to promote these opinions like a googler Alex Jones, at least not from what I know. I think firing Damore for an opinion shows what cowards they are and everything that is wrong with the current woke movement: don't talk about new ideas or possible solutions, don't open up uncomfortable discussions, only bow to mob led slogans otherwise you're burned at the stake.

Chris2048 5y ago

My old accountant maintained that $1+$1=$2, which was very harmful to my finances. I fired them immediately for such unhelpful stereotypes. My new accountant agrees that $1+$1=$3, creating a much less hostile work environment. S/He even practises intersectionality wrt profit vs debt - me and my employees have never been happier!

textgel 5y ago

That...changes nothing? It just demonstrates a collective insanity at the organisation in question. They're welcome to put their heads in the sand and claim whatever irrational bs they desire is "unhelpful" and "sexist" but that doesn't make it so.

flavius29663 5y ago

That was the whole point of the debacle, though. IIRC Google noticed that what they were currently doing was not bringing more women onboard, so they asked some of their employees for opinions. Damore wrote his, which circulated internally for a while with no issues. Then it was leaked and the cancel mob got to him. Only then Google fired him. It wasn't like he was trying to promote these opinions like a googler Alex Jones, at least not from what I know. I think firing Damore for an opinion shows what cowards they are and everything that is wrong with the current woke movement: don't talk about new ideas or possible solutions, don't open up uncomfortable discussions, only bow to mob led slogans otherwise you're burned at the stake.