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There are two things that are important to separate here: 1. In one hand, the rolling back of how DEI has/was implemented I think can be a good thing. I think
by hn_throwaway_99 2y ago
There are two things that are important to separate here:
1. In one hand, the rolling back of how DEI has/was implemented I think can be a good thing. I think lots of people, myself included, believe that it "went off the rails", but most importantly, I think it ended up being counterproductive to its end goals. Nearly everyone I know who wasn't part of the DEI cottage industry came to view many/most of these programs with cynicism, even if they weren't vocal about it.
2. Don't mistake the validity of number one for thinking that this is just pure and unadulterated pandering to the incoming administration. Meta would sacrifice small babies if they thought it would make them more money in the long run.
The reason I believe so strongly about number 2 is what happened with their content guidelines changes. I'm gay, and I'm actually fine with people calling me insane. But I also better be able to call lots of religious practices based around some invisible sky fairy insane too. The fact that the guidelines specifically called out "it's OK to call gay and transgender people mentally ill", and only those groups, is grossly despicable, and clearly shows Zuckerberg is just taint licking his new overlords.
And to people who still work at Meta, I also think that's fine - we all need a paycheck. But please don't try to convince yourself or anyone else that you're doing it for anything but the money. I'm so sick of these tech companies talking about their lofty goals (and honestly, have been for a while long before Trump) when it's so abundantly clear it's just about making money. And again, I think that's fine to only be about money - it's a business after all. Just don't pretend you're doing some sort of societal good.
- mempko 2y agoExcept the whole reason for governments to charter companies is the belief it's good for societal goals. Otherwise why allow private and public companies in the first place if their only goal is to make money, that you as a government create? This idea that business has this singular goal is the result of brainwashing and shows a deep misunderstanding of both history and how things work today.
- techfeathers 2y agoI’m really disturbed the extent to which companies are in lockstep with the government, and this should be a conservative value? I’m glad to see a reset on DEI in general, it’s not going away but we’ve needed new ideas in the space and I suspect we’ll see a resurgence sooner than you’d think.
- TheOtherHobbes 2y agoBig, oppressive, intrusive governments are fine as long as they praise Jesus, cut welfare, and lower taxes. Corporate DEI seems unambitious to me - like expecting face-eating leopards to eat fewer faces if you can persuade them to wear make-up. The real problem is corporate psychopathy. DEI is a band-aid on a monster. And the first step to a solution is accepting that we are in fact dealing with monsters, not with organisations that have positive social aims and can be reasoned with.
- davidw 2y agoThey also got rid of some messenger themes: https://www.404media.co/meta-deletes-trans-and-nonbinary-messenger-themes/ https://www.404media.co/meta-deletes-trans-and-nonbinary-mes... You can argue about the proper way to do DEI or not and its effectiveness, but this is all blatantly political. I mean, if someone got some enjoyment out of having those themes, what's it to anyone else?
- hn_throwaway_99 2y agoWow, that example is even more blatant, and just goes to show how all this free speech talk is bullshit. Exactly as you put it, "what's it to anyone else"? And if anything, I'd be all for adding more themes: You want everything in MAGA red? Cool, knock yourself out. I hope lots of people at Meta are in full-on quiet quitting mode.
- 01HNNWZ0MV43FF 2y agoYeah it's common in politics. Free speech for me, but "cisgender" (a medical term, same as "transgender") is a slur. States' rights for slavery, but not for abortion. "There must be an in-group who is protected by the law and not bound by it, and an out-group who is bound by the law but not protected by it."
- pityJuke 2y agoYeah, what the fuck do Messenger themes have anything to do with free speech, or company effectiveness? It's a clear signal, along with the moderation changes that allow you to call LGBT+, and only LGBT+ people, mentally ill: Meta, the company, hates gay people.
- 77pt77 2y agoIt's incredibly honest that they went out of their way to say explicitly the groups that can be bullied. Scary, but also honest. Bad times in the short future for everyone...