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I don't really care either way. I just know it's shockingly common for "nobodies" to have a good idea, share it in some way and someone else with more status r

I don't really care either way. I just know it's shockingly common for "nobodies" to have a good idea, share it in some way and someone else with more status runs with it and gets the credit. And I can well imagine someone feeling like "No one will believe what actually happened" and trying to fudge the details a bit in hopes of being heard. I'm old. I'm cynical. I'm tired. Frankly, I didn't bother to read the full article because I'm so convinced that it's not possible to know what really happened and that if a Hispanic janitor did come up with the idea, the odds are long against him getting a fair shake. So why bother?

sarchertech 4y ago
If anything Frito-Lay, and anyone still working there have absolutely no incentive to do anything except go along with Montañez's story. It's fantastic PR. The only person in this story who have any incentive to lie are the sales guy, and the MBA who are claiming that they pushed for and invented hot cheetos. But their story is backed up by documented evidence that the product existed years before Montañez claims that he invented it, and Frito-Lay confirms their story. What sounds better--"Janitor rises to Executive by inventing flaming hot cheetos", or "MBA creates new brand by copying existing competitors"? When the vast majority of the evidence supports the 2nd version, despite it being a less compelling story, I think it's pretty safe to go with that one.
BoxFour 4y ago
> So why bother? Well, here's why it bothers me but obviously that doesn't have to be your reason: Because there's a woman named Lynne in the story who seems likely to be the one behind a lot of it, and a man is taking credit for her work. Frito-Lay would rather push a rags-to-riches story about a man than credit a highly-qualified woman for her work.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- yellowapple 4y ago
  Making this some anti-diversity thing cuts both ways: "Frito-Lay would rather give credit to a white person in Corporate than a Latino factory worker" ain't exactly a better look.
vlunkr 4y ago
> I'm so convinced that it's not possible to know what really happened This argument holds up when you're looking at truly old historical facts with no good evidence. We're not talking about George Washington cutting down the cherry tree. This was 1989, in a big corporate office. There is documentation, they know who worked there when, and in which offices, there are dozens of people involved in the story, most of whom are probably still alive. Throwing your hands up and saying "it's unknowable" doesn't really make sense here.
- DoreenMichele 4y ago
  It makes sense to me, the person choosing to be all "eh, I can't be arsed to care and shan't read the whole thing." What doesn't make sense to me is why so many internet strangers feel compelled to argue it with me.
  - vlunkr 4y ago
    Uh, you started this discussion and continue to reply. People assume you're arguing in good faith so they respond.

sarchertech 4y ago

If anything Frito-Lay, and anyone still working there have absolutely no incentive to do anything except go along with Montañez's story. It's fantastic PR. The only person in this story who have any incentive to lie are the sales guy, and the MBA who are claiming that they pushed for and invented hot cheetos. But their story is backed up by documented evidence that the product existed years before Montañez claims that he invented it, and Frito-Lay confirms their story. What sounds better--"Janitor rises to Executive by inventing flaming hot cheetos", or "MBA creates new brand by copying existing competitors"? When the vast majority of the evidence supports the 2nd version, despite it being a less compelling story, I think it's pretty safe to go with that one.

BoxFour 4y ago

> So why bother? Well, here's why it bothers me but obviously that doesn't have to be your reason: Because there's a woman named Lynne in the story who seems likely to be the one behind a lot of it, and a man is taking credit for her work. Frito-Lay would rather push a rags-to-riches story about a man than credit a highly-qualified woman for her work.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
yellowapple 4y ago
Making this some anti-diversity thing cuts both ways: "Frito-Lay would rather give credit to a white person in Corporate than a Latino factory worker" ain't exactly a better look.

vlunkr 4y ago

> I'm so convinced that it's not possible to know what really happened This argument holds up when you're looking at truly old historical facts with no good evidence. We're not talking about George Washington cutting down the cherry tree. This was 1989, in a big corporate office. There is documentation, they know who worked there when, and in which offices, there are dozens of people involved in the story, most of whom are probably still alive. Throwing your hands up and saying "it's unknowable" doesn't really make sense here.

DoreenMichele 4y ago
It makes sense to me, the person choosing to be all "eh, I can't be arsed to care and shan't read the whole thing." What doesn't make sense to me is why so many internet strangers feel compelled to argue it with me.
- vlunkr 4y ago
  Uh, you started this discussion and continue to reply. People assume you're arguing in good faith so they respond.