4 ms·

> But activism on unrelated issues, even important ones, puts up barriers for no good reason. It’s interesting framing. Some might view this as pure to your va

> But activism on unrelated issues, even important ones, puts up barriers for no good reason. It’s interesting framing. Some might view this as pure to your values, some might view this as lacking in values, but it certainly got my attention. Reducing this quote down, the claim is “activism on unrelated important issues has no value [to your business].”

citizenkeen 4y ago
And yet the post also suggests members of the company should talk as individuals, not as the company. Which is… a tough row to hoe.
- justin_oaks 4y ago
  Indeed. Even if those company members aren't outspoken on political matters, people will dig up their politics. Consider the case of Brendan Eich.
  - zzzeek 4y ago
    I guess a corollary then is to make sure all your members don't have odious personal politics
  - taylorius 4y ago
    Indeed, BTS was never the same once Eich got the boot.
0cVlTeIATBs 4y ago
In k-pop we've seen even minor references to the Japanese emperor or Taiwan result in severe backlash. Mainland china also banned the genre for a year in response to THAAD. [0] https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3008531/japanese-k-pop-star-sana-slammed-comments-imperial-handover https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3008531... [1] https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1902195/teen-pop-star-chou-tzu-yus-apology-waving-taiwan-flag https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/19... [2] https://www.vox.com/latest-news/2017/3/3/14795636/china-south-korea-pop-culture-kpop-attacks-thaad https://www.vox.com/latest-news/2017/3/3/14795636/china-sout...
- bee_rider 4y ago
  I thought for a second you meant that a boy band decided to be named THAAD, which would be a bit ballsy, haha.
thaumasiotes 4y ago
> Reducing this quote down, the claim is “activism on unrelated important issues has no value [to your business].” Negative value, not no value.
_8j50 4y ago
I hate corporations being activists so much. That's individuals' role, if you don't vote you don't get to be an activist. In reality this means corporations have loud voices and fat wallets drowning out the small guy's voice and effectively changing democracy to corporocracy. Maybe companies should run for office too then since they are now persons. But that quote I think is just saying to pick and choose your battles wisely. You can't blame half of america feeling alienated in their own country when bigcorpo uses their might in every avenue possible to oppose their views (conservatives), despite what you may think of them you still have to share a country with the people you disagree with. People shouldn't have to fight or have political discourse against companies, it should be individuals that debate, discuss and influence political outcomes in a democracy. Perhaps we are now in a neo-feudalist society?
- nharada 4y ago
  Are you okay with companies being politically involved when it comes to their business?
  - _8j50 4y ago
    I am not, but i am ok with executives doing so as individuals.
- WalterBright 4y ago
  What do you think about the public school teachers union? They present their politics to the kids for a thousand hours a year, for 13 years.
  - neilv 4y ago
    I'm imagining some secret cabal of the wealthy and powerful, making a blunder in their manipulations of society: deciding that US schoolteachers, who naturally will be a formative influence on children, should be educated and underpaid. Within 2-3 generations of that nurturing of awareness and identification with lower socioeconomic classes, the entire populace ends up inclined to look out for equity for each other, and tears down the cabal. I guess it's not that simple.

citizenkeen 4y ago

And yet the post also suggests members of the company should talk as individuals, not as the company. Which is… a tough row to hoe.

justin_oaks 4y ago
Indeed. Even if those company members aren't outspoken on political matters, people will dig up their politics. Consider the case of Brendan Eich.
- zzzeek 4y ago
  I guess a corollary then is to make sure all your members don't have odious personal politics
- taylorius 4y ago
  Indeed, BTS was never the same once Eich got the boot.

0cVlTeIATBs 4y ago

In k-pop we've seen even minor references to the Japanese emperor or Taiwan result in severe backlash. Mainland china also banned the genre for a year in response to THAAD. [0] https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3008531/japanese-k-pop-star-sana-slammed-comments-imperial-handover https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3008531... [1] https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1902195/teen-pop-star-chou-tzu-yus-apology-waving-taiwan-flag https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/19... [2] https://www.vox.com/latest-news/2017/3/3/14795636/china-south-korea-pop-culture-kpop-attacks-thaad https://www.vox.com/latest-news/2017/3/3/14795636/china-sout...

bee_rider 4y ago
I thought for a second you meant that a boy band decided to be named THAAD, which would be a bit ballsy, haha.

thaumasiotes 4y ago

> Reducing this quote down, the claim is “activism on unrelated important issues has no value [to your business].” Negative value, not no value.

_8j50 4y ago

I hate corporations being activists so much. That's individuals' role, if you don't vote you don't get to be an activist. In reality this means corporations have loud voices and fat wallets drowning out the small guy's voice and effectively changing democracy to corporocracy. Maybe companies should run for office too then since they are now persons. But that quote I think is just saying to pick and choose your battles wisely. You can't blame half of america feeling alienated in their own country when bigcorpo uses their might in every avenue possible to oppose their views (conservatives), despite what you may think of them you still have to share a country with the people you disagree with. People shouldn't have to fight or have political discourse against companies, it should be individuals that debate, discuss and influence political outcomes in a democracy. Perhaps we are now in a neo-feudalist society?

nharada 4y ago
Are you okay with companies being politically involved when it comes to their business?
- _8j50 4y ago
  I am not, but i am ok with executives doing so as individuals.
WalterBright 4y ago
What do you think about the public school teachers union? They present their politics to the kids for a thousand hours a year, for 13 years.
- neilv 4y ago
  I'm imagining some secret cabal of the wealthy and powerful, making a blunder in their manipulations of society: deciding that US schoolteachers, who naturally will be a formative influence on children, should be educated and underpaid. Within 2-3 generations of that nurturing of awareness and identification with lower socioeconomic classes, the entire populace ends up inclined to look out for equity for each other, and tears down the cabal. I guess it's not that simple.