Something is very wrong with our industry when a self-aggrandizing mouth-breather like Scoble enjoys more fame and influence than someone like D. Richard Hipp. Worse still that because they're both "in tech," the former's atrocious conduct will, by broad brush strokes, reflect negatively on the latter, as well as everyone else "in tech."
Robert Scoble: “I apologize.”
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Re: Robert Scoble: “I apologize.”
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
Additionally, the Facebook apology was immediately posted after new accusations on TechCrunch: https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/20/robert-scoble-has-allegedl...
Aren't those 2 separate problems anyway ? Many people are drunk or even alcoholic without assaulting others.
> Aren't those 2 separate problems anyway ?
Separate, but not unrelated.
> Many people are drunk or even alcoholic without assaulting others.
Many people drive recklessly without running over pedestrians, but they aren't unrelated problems.
Re: Robert Scoble: “I apologize.”
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
Aren't those 2 separate problems anyway ? Many people are drunk or even alcoholic without assaulting others.
Right? Always bothered me “but they were drunk, it’s not their fault” That’s cool. I’ve been drunk before and haven’t ever raped anyone.
> Always bothered me “but they were drunk, it’s not their fault”
While that argument may be made by some people somewhere, I don't think either Scoble or anyone else has made it in this case; it seems more like his position is that he was at fault, his alcohol problem was a contributing factor which he had to correct as part of taking responsibility.
Re: Robert Scoble: “I apologize.”
#74Can't seem to find any details on the extent of his mis-behaviour. Wikipedia page says "sexually assaulted", and that "Sarah Seitz, a sustainability analyst at NASA, replied accusing Scoble of also having assaulted her" Isn't sexual assault a serious crime? Why didn't these women report it to the Police. Or does touching without consent or grabbing someone or trying to grope someone (like our current President is all…
I'm pretty sure it depends on the level of the sexual assault.
E.g. groping - if we're talking "groped someone randomly, with their clothes on" and nothing more, then even if this gets reported, what could happen? This probably won't result in too much of a punishment, and is pretty hard to prove. And, unfortunately, as you can probably see by now, it happens to pretty much all women and is extremely common. It doesn't make it right or mean that we shouldn't stop it, but I kind of understand why people who are used to it happening don't do much with it.
I think that's why we need to change the norms, both of how people who see this happening deal with it, and of how OK it is. If you see someone groping someone without their consent, say something! It's probably not going to get reported to the police, but if we as a society don't accept it, then it will get better.
Of course, once you get to things like rape, then that's a much more serious offense that can definitely have the police involved.
Re: Robert Scoble: “I apologize.”
#75Can't seem to find any details on the extent of his mis-behaviour. Wikipedia page says "sexually assaulted", and that "Sarah Seitz, a sustainability analyst at NASA, replied accusing Scoble of also having assaulted her" Isn't sexual assault a serious crime? Why didn't these women report it to the Police. Or does touching without consent or grabbing someone or trying to grope someone (like our current President is all…
I'm pretty sure it depends on the level of the sexual assault. E.g. groping - if we're talking "groped someone randomly, with their clothes on" and nothing more, then even if this gets reported, what could happen? This probably won't result in too much of a punishment, and is pretty hard to prove. And, unfortunately, as you can probably see by now, it happens to pretty much all women and is extremely common. It doesn…
> E.g. groping - if we're talking "groped someone randomly, with their clothes on" and nothing more, then even if this gets reported, what could happen?
It's both a tort and a crime, usually, so there is a lot that could happen; which is not to say that it is likely that the consequences available in principle would be applied.
Re: Robert Scoble: “I apologize.”
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm pretty sure it depends on the level of the sexual assault. E.g. groping - if we're talking "groped someone randomly, with their clothes on" and nothing more, then even if this gets reported, what could happen? This probably won't result in too much of a punishment, and is pretty hard to prove. And, unfortunately, as you can probably see by now, it happens to pretty much all women and is extremely common. It doesn…
> E.g. groping - if we're talking "groped someone randomly, with their clothes on" and nothing more, then even if this gets reported, what could happen? It's both a tort and a crime, usually, so there is a lot that could happen; which is not to say that it is likely that the consequences available in principle would be applied.
I think a lot could also theoretically happen when you punch someone, as that's assault. And yet I assume that depending on context, usually not much happens. E.g. I assume if someone is punched in a bar fight, the chance of being brought up on charges (and the punishment if you are) are rather small. As opposed to if I go up to someone in an airport and punch them.
Which is to say that context matters and is dictated by our customs, which is why we need to change what we think of us acceptable so that groping is unacceptable everywhere.
Re: Robert Scoble: “I apologize.”
#77Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm pretty sure it depends on the level of the sexual assault. E.g. groping - if we're talking "groped someone randomly, with their clothes on" and nothing more, then even if this gets reported, what could happen? This probably won't result in too much of a punishment, and is pretty hard to prove. And, unfortunately, as you can probably see by now, it happens to pretty much all women and is extremely common. It doesn…
> E.g. groping - if we're talking "groped someone randomly, with their clothes on" and nothing more, then even if this gets reported, what could happen? It's both a tort and a crime, usually, so there is a lot that could happen; which is not to say that it is likely that the consequences available in principle would be applied.
If Scoble were to walk into a police station and explain in detail what he did and who he did it to, would there be ramifications?
Re: Robert Scoble: “I apologize.”
#78Can't seem to find any details on the extent of his mis-behaviour. Wikipedia page says "sexually assaulted", and that "Sarah Seitz, a sustainability analyst at NASA, replied accusing Scoble of also having assaulted her" Isn't sexual assault a serious crime? Why didn't these women report it to the Police. Or does touching without consent or grabbing someone or trying to grope someone (like our current President is all…
> Isn't sexual assault a serious crime?
In theory, yes; in practice police, prosecutors, and judges all too often don't treat it (or even actual rape) seriously.
With regard to judges, the Stanford rape case is the banner example recently; but earlier in the chain the fact thatany departments collect but then do not process rape kits is a huge problem.
> The difference I see between Dave McClure and Robert Scoble is that the former was accused of 'sexual harrassment' whereas Robert Scoble appears to have been accused of 'sexual ASSAULT' by a couple of women atleast
McClure was accused of sexual assault as well (and not strictly legally speaking sexual harassment at all, AFAIK, but acts, both the assaults and lesser acts, that would have been harassment if VC-founder relationships were governed by the same legal rules as employer-employee relationships.)
Re: Robert Scoble: “I apologize.”
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
> E.g. groping - if we're talking "groped someone randomly, with their clothes on" and nothing more, then even if this gets reported, what could happen? It's both a tort and a crime, usually, so there is a lot that could happen; which is not to say that it is likely that the consequences available in principle would be applied.
If Scoble were to walk into a police station and explain in detail what he did and who he did it to, would there be ramifications?
That depends on the police to whom he explained it, the prosecutors with jurisdiction, and the judge it got before if prosecuted.
There's enough history of all three groups granting men, especially middle or upper class white men, passes for sexual assault and even outright rape that it's hard to say “yes” with any confidence, even assuming that what he did matches the worst accusations made against him.
Re: Robert Scoble: “I apologize.”
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
If Scoble were to walk into a police station and explain in detail what he did and who he did it to, would there be ramifications?
That depends on the police to whom he explained it, the prosecutors with jurisdiction, and the judge it got before if prosecuted. There's enough history of all three groups granting men, especially middle or upper class white men, passes for sexual assault and even outright rape that it's hard to say “yes” with any confidence, even assuming that what he did matches the worst accusations made against him.
Interesting. Do you by any chance know of a situation like this where the perp actually did this?
I'm thinking that especially if the consequences are likely to be 'mild', there's really no reason to expect anything less from Scoble than admitting his acts to the police and see what happens.
I mean, it might be the right thing to do anyways, but if the risks are relatively low, even 'fear' isn't really much of an excuse.
Basically, is there any good reason for 'the public' not to set a precedent by demanding he report himself to the police?