Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I am an Uber survivor

medium.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

151–160 of 841 posts

Re: I am an Uber survivor

#151

Post by ubercore »

_xhok wrote: post #127
ubercore wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My default is "show me the evidence", but I believe Susan Fowler's account because she put her reputation on the line and I was willing to trust that she left, opposed to got fired, due to non-performance reasons based on being able to somewhat approximate/confirm her technical abilities. ... is a privileged viewpoint, and offensive to me. The author doesn't have to prove to your satisfaction that this happened to…

Wanting evidence is privileged? Is everything but complete credulity now considered "privileged?" She doesn't have to, but putting it that way, people don't have to believe her. Has the word "privileged" so lost all meaning that it's privileged to merely want evidence? I reject that I'm somehow contributing to an oppressive patriarchy by wanting claims to be substantiated in the post-Enlightenment way: with proof. Pe…

It's pretty typical male privilege to enter this discussion to say "Nope, don't believe it, because it sounds unreasonable to me". It has a chilling effect.

There's obviously no way to be sure of the story, but the speed with which people just presume it's fake speaks the overall lack of understanding of sexual harassment in the workplace. It's willfully ignorant to make that the basis for a discussion on this article.

Re: I am an Uber survivor

#152

Post by mjolk »

ubercore wrote: post #103
mjolk wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please tell me what is "vile" about saying "I believe Susan, but this blogpost strains credibility. If the author is being honest, I hope she speaks to an attorney".

> My default is "show me the evidence", but I believe Susan Fowler's account because she put her reputation on the line and I was willing to trust that she left, opposed to got fired, due to non-performance reasons based on being able to somewhat approximate/confirm her technical abilities. ... is a privileged viewpoint, and offensive to me. The author doesn't have to prove to your satisfaction that this happened to…

> ... is a privileged viewpoint, and offensive to me.

"Privileged"?

I'm not sure how or why you chose to take offense, but I'm surprised that anything about that was even slightly controversial.

> The author doesn't have to prove to your satisfaction that this happened to her to write this article

You're right, but that doesn't mean I have to believe what the author claims and doesn't mean I can't respond to it. The comment section doesn't exist to serve as an echo chamber.

Re: I am an Uber survivor

#153

Post by mirimir »

reledi wrote: post #134

Amy, many people believe your story. But based on the flags this story is getting, many don't, at least not yet. Is there any way you can verify the authenticity of your story without losing your anonymity to the public? For example, would Susan be able to verify you as an ex-employee?

> But based on the flags this story is getting, many don't [believe your story].

Or maybe they know her story all too well, and are angry to see it here. It's not like there's nobody from Uber on HN, I mean.

Re: I am an Uber survivor

#154

Post by megabits »

jordigh wrote: post #95

> tried to trigger me Man, I really wish the internet hadn't decided that "trigger" means to anger or upset someone instead of the original meaning: provoke an anxiety or panic attack, like lighting firecrackers around war veterans. Not that what Uber is doing here to "Amy" isn't despicable. I'm just a little bothered by this relatively frivolous usage of the word "trigger" compared to the original purpose for using…

Strange that this was your takeaway when there were so many other things in the article to be greatly bothered by.

Re: I am an Uber survivor

#155

Post by muglug »

late2part wrote: post #86
muglug wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> How she chooses to feel and deal with this are under her control. She shouldn't have perpetuated her pain by staying in the situation. Can you understand how hard it is for someone to leave a job after a short amount of time, knowing that every future employer will see that on your resumé?

Yes. Because I've done it. And you tell people it wasn't a good fit. And if it's uber you tell them it's because uber is a bunch of jerks.

Far easier when you're a 40-something male engineer with a large resumé than a relatively green female engineer who will already contend with some people who think she's not a culture fit, based solely on gender.

Re: I am an Uber survivor

#156

Post by jellicle »

TillE wrote: post #99
vkou wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's surprising to me that neither have pursued Uber in this regard. Reasons to pursue sexual harassment litigation: * You may make some money. Reasons to not pursue sexual harassment litigation: * You will have to devote an enormous amount of money, time, energy, health, and your emotional well-being. * Your lawyers will take half the settlement, either in up front fees, or as a portion of the bounty. * You will g…

I completely agree with all this, I just think it's frustrating for a lot of people when you see a terrible situation that's supposed to have judicial remedies, but in practice that system just doesn't work.

This is sort of the best of all possible worlds. Any time there's a problem, everyone involved can just say "oh, she should sue" and "why doesn't she sue, there are lots of legal remedies".

And then if she spoke with a lawyer, that lawyer would point to all the problems listed above plus many more (the difficulty of proving damages, for one) and would almost certainly try to dissuade her from suing no matter how grievous her treatment, and if she did sue, she would likely lose. The legal remedies are so weak as to be non-existent, but their existence is beneficial to wrong-doers, who can hide behind them and pretend they are effective and powerful.

Re: I am an Uber survivor

#158

Post by [deleted] »

jordigh wrote: post #95

> tried to trigger me Man, I really wish the internet hadn't decided that "trigger" means to anger or upset someone instead of the original meaning: provoke an anxiety or panic attack, like lighting firecrackers around war veterans. Not that what Uber is doing here to "Amy" isn't despicable. I'm just a little bothered by this relatively frivolous usage of the word "trigger" compared to the original purpose for using…

[deleted]

Re: I am an Uber survivor

#159

Post by keithyjohnson »

vkou wrote: post #83
nappy-doo wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> H/R ACTS AND WILL ALWAYS ACT IN THE COMPANY'S BEST INTERESTS. NOT YOURS. You're right, and here's the thing. It seems both women who've come forward would have open-and-shut cases against Uber for multi-millions in damages. It's surprising to me that neither have pursued Uber in this regard. Similarly, it's surprising to me that Uber HR hasn't done the mental calculus to figure out that these women have a solid cas…

> It's surprising to me that neither have pursued Uber in this regard. Reasons to pursue sexual harassment litigation: * You may make some money. Reasons to not pursue sexual harassment litigation: * You will have to devote an enormous amount of money, time, energy, health, and your emotional well-being. * Your lawyers will take half the settlement, either in up front fees, or as a portion of the bounty. * You will g…

Great list, great comment, well done.

Re: I am an Uber survivor

#160

Post by mjolk »

jellicle wrote: post #94
mjolk wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please tell me what is "vile" about saying "I believe Susan, but this blogpost strains credibility. If the author is being honest, I hope she speaks to an attorney".

So what company do you work for?

My own.

I'm not making claims of a sexist, racist, and hostile environment in a company, so for what it's worth, where I work isn't relevant.

Post reply on HN