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ElectronConf postponed until a “more diverse slate of speakers” can be delivered

electronconf.com

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Re: ElectronConf postponed until a “more diverse slate of speakers” can be delivered

#31

Post by threeseed »

pcblues wrote: post #13
TokenDiversity wrote: post #8

I am an Indian (मैं भारतीय हूं‌) but as long as there are people who put token diversity over true meritocracy, there will never be hope for the downtrodden. This entire thing is such a farce.

Why would the downtrodden benefit from a true meritocracy?

A true meritocracy would mean anyone with intelligence, talent and creativity would rise to the top. Of course this is naive thinking.

We live in a world that harshly discriminates based on gender, race, socio economic background, wealth etc. And its human nature that if you don't see people like you rising to the top that you will think there are legitimate reasons and potentially just give up.

Re: ElectronConf postponed until a “more diverse slate of speakers” can be delivered

#34

Post by danilocesar »

panzer_wyrm wrote: post #11

Can we use AI to simulate diverse holographic speakers and phase away the pesky humans as presenters? We could also generate the content with markov chains of buzzwords.

We could, but AI is also racist.. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/apr/13/ai-progra...

Re: ElectronConf postponed until a “more diverse slate of speakers” can be delivered

#35

Post by keerthiko »

TokenDiversity wrote: post #8

I am an Indian (मैं भारतीय हूं‌) but as long as there are people who put token diversity over true meritocracy, there will never be hope for the downtrodden. This entire thing is such a farce.

What is needed isn't a "true" meritocracy -- evaluating merit of output independent of all other factors--, but affirmative action, to uplift and improve the overall quality.

This action by ElectronConf is an attempt at affirmative action, but winds up being the opposite. Affirmative action is where you reach out, support and encourage those that represent the diversity you want. Meanwhile this (as communicated here) is just throwing up their hands and waiting for the diversity issue to resolve itself, at the cost of coming off really unfair to the people currently represented. Really weird.

Re: ElectronConf postponed until a “more diverse slate of speakers” can be delivered

#36

Post by macspoofing »

tjpnz wrote: post #18

This may be an unpopular opinion but I still don't understand why diversity even matters here - shouldn't it be the merit of the ideas and the presentation skills of the speakers?

I don't actually know anyone who concerns themselves with identity politics to the extent they would mothball their tech conference. Who are these people who make these kinds of decisions?

Re: ElectronConf postponed until a “more diverse slate of speakers” can be delivered

#37

Post by TeMPOraL »

threeseed wrote: post #31
pcblues wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would the downtrodden benefit from a true meritocracy?

A true meritocracy would mean anyone with intelligence, talent and creativity would rise to the top. Of course this is naive thinking. We live in a world that harshly discriminates based on gender, race, socio economic background, wealth etc. And its human nature that if you don't see people like you rising to the top that you will think there are legitimate reasons and potentially just give up.

My impression is that there's less actual discrimination, and more cases of people using accusations of discrimination as a weapon to compensate for lack of merit.

Re: ElectronConf postponed until a “more diverse slate of speakers” can be delivered

#38

Post by jacquesm »

threeseed wrote: post #31
pcblues wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would the downtrodden benefit from a true meritocracy?

A true meritocracy would mean anyone with intelligence, talent and creativity would rise to the top. Of course this is naive thinking. We live in a world that harshly discriminates based on gender, race, socio economic background, wealth etc. And its human nature that if you don't see people like you rising to the top that you will think there are legitimate reasons and potentially just give up.

> A true meritocracy would mean anyone with intelligence, talent and creativity would rise to the top.

And that would be good why? See, every time there is a top there will be losers. Personally I think that's unavoidable but we could work a little harder to flatten out the landscape so that the various lotteries matter less.

Re: ElectronConf postponed until a “more diverse slate of speakers” can be delivered

#39

Post by jchw »

I don't buy the meritocracy BS that's so popular around here, but I do agree this seems insane, at least based on the small amount of information we have.

The organizers have the right to do whatever they please, but I don't understand what they hope to accomplish by calling off the entire conference. It seems like that just hurts everyone.

(I'm a white dude, just for full disclosure.)

P.S.: Does anyone else wonder if this is a cover for something else? Maybe there were speakers they did not want to allow but also didn't want the backlash of denying?

Re: ElectronConf postponed until a “more diverse slate of speakers” can be delivered

#40

Post by PrimHelios »

threeseed wrote: post #19
TokenDiversity wrote: post #8

I am an Indian (मैं भारतीय हूं‌) but as long as there are people who put token diversity over true meritocracy, there will never be hope for the downtrodden. This entire thing is such a farce.

The concept of a meritocracy on issues like this is what most people think naturally makes sense. Except that study after study, and evidence after evidence has shown that over the long run it's a flawed strategy. That's why companies push for diversity on boards and in leadership positions because (a) it encourages people minorities/women/etc to strive for those positions and because (b) homogenous viewpoints are de…

If you're pushing to have unqualified people on your board simply because they're women, your company will die. Aside from that, why strive if I know I have a good chance of getting a position even without any kind of merit?

Fucking hell, I want to be seen as more than just a disabled trans woman, I want people to look at the shit I've done and say "Wow, she's really awesome, let's hire her/accept her into our college", not "Wow, she's super oppressed! We can get grants if we do nice things for her!". Hiring me/accepting me based on "diversity" is the most patronizing thing you can fucking do. I don't need your help because I'm a minority, and viewing me as just a trans person instead of viewing me as a normal candidate is breaking me down to nothing but my identity, and that's transphobic as fuck.

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