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Google firing: what do you think?

8/18/2017

3 Comments

 
This week the news outlets are carrying the story of Google employee James Damore who was fired for writing what is referred to as a discriminatory memo suggesting that women are inferior to men or in some way unsuited to tech jobs.  The whole issue is being couched as a left vs right thing, and Damore is being called a sexist, rightwing whiner.

I found Damore's memo online and read it.  You may wish to read it also.  It's always better to go to the source instead of just getting the reports from the news or Facebook and then commenting without really knowing what was actually happening.
https://alevelsociology.files.wordpress.com/2017/08/googles-ideological-echo-chamber.pdf
​
If you read it you saw that what Damore was trying to do was to have a discussion.  He works in an environment where dissent is not possible.  That was demonstrated of course by his firing.  It's dangerous for everyone when an assumption is made that all agree or that all should agree.  In this case Google has made the assumption that women are in some way socially or educationally handicapped and that Google can remedy that by changing the social climate of their offices.  Individuals who feel discriminated against are able to get assistance, but only if they are female.  Damore made some statements that may or may not be true or feel true, but instead of being able to discuss this in an open environment he was fired.  As he correctly states, this kind of action is one that sends a chilling message to anyone who wishes to offer a dissenting opinion regarding the social situation at Google.

One problem in this situation is that corporations are dictatorships of a sort and can set their own climate and conditions within the scope of the law.  The trend for shaming, sliming, bullying, and repressing free exchange of ideas is considered 
politically correct.  It only works in one direction however: from left to right.  The issue is not specific to corporations, of course. Socially we are at a point where it is dangerous to express an opinion.  If you suggest that Hilary lost the election because of her professional decisions, you may be called 'alt-right.'   If you point out objective factual information that assisted you in making your statements, you may be called 'alt-right.'  If you say that you're being shamed and bullied for not supporting a woman, you may be called 'alt-right.'   If you state that when someone is invited to speak at a university violence should not be used against those who come to listen, you may be called 'alt-right.'  If you wonder where all of those black-clad club-wielding men have come from who show up in the left oriented crowd of protesters, you may be called 'alt-right.'

You'll find your civil rights have been chilled and that's not right.
3 Comments
Sheila B.
10/4/2017 09:02:20 am

Thanks for posting the actual thing he wrote. Funny we were in a group talking about it last night and no one had read it. We all thought we knew what he wrote but now I see that we didn't really. I like the idea of this site and think it's very brave of you to do it. Watched your videos and then I got your book for my kindle. Looking forward to reading it.
Sheila in SF

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anonymous
11/13/2017 07:51:06 pm

Interesting. Glad to see this. A real surprise.

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Suzanne Pinette link
12/15/2017 09:18:34 pm

The issue seems to be about freedom of speech. It's a tricky issue because speaking what you believe to be the truth can sometimes cause untold harm. For example, if a person were to say that they believe all homosexuals should be shot or forced into treatment it might cause others to take the same view and perhaps deny opportunities to the "inferior" homosexuals. I found much of Mr. Damore's comments both unfounded and obnoxious. He appeals to "scientific studies" without making specific reference. He is decidedly paternalistic. I don't agree with him and find his comments repulsive, perhaps immoral, but I do believe a rebuttal would have been better than a firing.

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