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"If somebody cannot handle some crudeness, I’d postulate that he or she does not belong at a startup, regardless of gender. Because, when shit hits the fan, as
by wtracy 15y ago
"If somebody cannot handle some crudeness, I’d postulate that he or she does not belong at a startup, regardless of gender. Because, when shit hits the fan, as it invariably does, we need people who can take it."
What does crude language have to do with ability to handle startup situations where "shit hits the fan"? Someone who dislikes offensive language is somehow unable to handle fast-paced or stressful situations on the job?
- sliverstorm 15y agoHe's using it as a litmus test. When people are in fast-paced or stressful situations on the job, the mental "PC filter" can begin to break down, and people may say things they wouldn't have. You can condemn this, but it can happen to the best of us. When it does, it's nice to have a group of people whom the occasional uncouth or unthinking comment rolls off their back like water on ducks.
- aqme28 15y agoAlternatively, it's good to have people who won't resort to being offensive in tough situations. I can't think I've ever been so stressed out I started using racial or sexist slurs.
- sliverstorm 15y agoI agree. However what I'm talking about is when you say something well-intentioned, not realizing that it can/will be taken in an offensive way. This tends to happen more often as you lose sleep and crank up the stress. My impression is that the author is using people's reaction to slurs and the like as a proxy for how they will react to the unintended offenses I mention.
- protomyth 15y agoA couple of startup could have used people with better PC filters to keep them out of hot water and keep them out of the news with bad PR.
- sliverstorm 15y agoOh, PC filters are a good thing, I'm not trying to claim otherwise. I was just trying to clarify what seemed to be a misinterpretation of the author.