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Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’

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Re: Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’

#691

Post by yesenadam »

dang wrote: post #86
door3 wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe, but really the point isn't about me. The point is the dominant opinion on Hackernews is "James Damore was right!" or at least "James Damore made some good points", which, whether you believe it or not, is absolutely a right-wing, conservative opinion, not the kind of "liberal SV PC culture" that is supposedly dominant and oppressive.

Every side thinks HN is dominated by the opposite side. This is as reliable as clockwork. But the truth is boringly tautological: on divisive issues, the community is divided, like any sufficient sample of society at large would be. People with strong views simply notice the comments they dislike much more strongly. And sometimes they pass around links to their friends to 'prove' it—which proves nothing, of course, b…

>Only a third, last I checked, is in the US

Oh, that's interesting, I would have thought 2/3 or more. I'd be fascinated to see a breakdown by country; is there one online somewhere? [looks] Ah, there was one in 2011. Maybe I could do one of those polls 'What country do you live in', doesn't seem to be a recent one.

ps I didnt stay long at all on Quora or the StackExchanges, from the amazingly inept modding. Here it's awesome, inspiring even. Thank you!

Re: Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’

#692

Post by nasredin »

andybak wrote: post #386
shard972 wrote: post #360

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I notice you didn't include Alt-right in there which at the moment seem to be political ideology on a big rise and in my personal opinion, I think it's generally less radical than communism. Consider though that one thing the alt-right will never accept is that racial diversity in the workplace is a net positive in itself. Whether it's true or false, it's just apart of the parcel. Now how would someone like that feel…

> being against racial diversity is racist That made me stop and think. I'm trying to imagine a picture of someone who is against racial diversity but isn't remotely racist and whilst I agree there's no logical contradiction inherent in that position I do struggle to think of a realistic portrait of such an individual. I might be missing something here but can you spell out this position for me in a bit more detail?…

Stop. There are better things to think about.

Re: Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’

#693

Post by nasredin »

WaxProlix wrote: post #391
mrtesthah wrote: post #323

Earlier quoted context omitted.

White resentment becomes possible only when one ceases to care about facts. (Ex. http://www.mdcbowen.org/p2/rm/reports/cerd.pdf )

This is part of what makes it so pernicious - they feel persecuted, but everyone else can see that they're firmly in control of everything. So it gets pointed out that they're not actually persecuted, which makes the White Moderate feel more persecuted and ignored, pushing them further right. Frustrating, but I don't know what you can do about it.

In addition to the people, the party, the Republicans is also being pushed towards the far-right.

Re: Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’

#694

Post by nasredin »

scarface74 wrote: post #569
_skel wrote: post #169

I don't get it. I grew up in Silicon Valley and I work in tech, and so do many other people I know. They run the gamut from far-left socialists to libertarians to own a bunch of guns. They have all kinds of ethnic backgrounds and religious views. Some of my most libertarian/pro-gun friends have not been shy about their political views and it hasn't hurt their tech careers at all. They are far more welcome here than l…

It's not liberterianism or even standard Republicanism that seems to be an anathema to the tech crowd. It's populism and religious conservatism. But sense I'm neither populist or a religious conservative, I'm just as much in the bubble as anyone.

Exactly!

Your coworkers just want you to leave your religion and xenophobia and or mild racism at home.

Re: Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’

#695

Post by Chris2048 »

eclipxe wrote: post #643
scarface74 wrote: post #572

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are different types of people that call themselves conservative. The Bush's were both pro-business conservatives, but never really expoused the type of populism that Trump does. You could admit in polite company that you supported the Bushes, or Romney. You really can't admit that you support Trump in polite company without being judged harshly.

Yes, that’s because being conservative is socially okay. Being a Trump supporter is aligning with more than conservatism - it is signaling an acceptance of several divisive and socially toxic ideas. Society should and will continue to shun this openly.

> Society should and will continue

Does society not include all the people that voted for Trump?

Re: Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’

#696

Post by _pmf_ »

_skel wrote: post #169

I don't get it. I grew up in Silicon Valley and I work in tech, and so do many other people I know. They run the gamut from far-left socialists to libertarians to own a bunch of guns. They have all kinds of ethnic backgrounds and religious views. Some of my most libertarian/pro-gun friends have not been shy about their political views and it hasn't hurt their tech careers at all. They are far more welcome here than l…

> Work is for working; it's not a debating society

Why does Google shove "diversity panels" down their employees throats, then?

Re: Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’

#697

Post by Cowsgomoo »

telchar wrote: post #618
dcow wrote: post #587

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hear you. What would you suggest instead?

That's a fair question. After a bit of thought the best I could come up with are, depending on situation: driven to professional exile ridden out on a [digital] rail digital skimmington pilloried [digitally/professionally] tarred and feathered

How about ritual defamation? (http://serendipity.li/cda/ritual_defamation.htm)

Re: Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’

#698

Post by Chris2048 »

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #280
downandout wrote: post #258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Again, this is a perfect example of the absurd overreaction that Valley liberals have to the idea that someone might have some conservative views. You sound like you voted for Hillary...do you endorse every single thing she has ever done and said? Did that "I'm with her" shirt you probably bought apply to the Clinton Foundation scandal and the use of an unsecured private email server for classified emails? Probably n…

I can understand why someone would vote for Romney, McCain, Bush, Dole, but for the life of me I assume that if you voted for Trump you were ok with everything that was known about him; e.g. you believe it is OK to talk about grabbing pussies in the locker room. Trump is special, never before have we had a candidate on either side like this, at least Bill Clinton appeared to be ashamed about his BJ in the whitehouse.…

> you believe it is OK to talk about grabbing pussies in the locker room

Talk is cheap. There's little reason Trump has sexually harassed anyone more than Bill Clinton - and Hillary still sticks by him.

Re: Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’

#699

Post by scarface74 »

harshreality wrote: post #679
scarface74 wrote: post #575

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Until Trump, you never heard the anti-immigration, anti-trade rhetoric from mainstream elected conservatives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYu7xlnT8rA You can find similar clips from Hillary and Schumer, just not from this decade.

Last time I checked - they weren’t conservatives.....

Re: Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’

#700

Post by Chris2048 »

crdoconnor wrote: post #329
tomsthumb wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other hand, I have seen a coworker strongly imply that someone is a white nationalist for suggesting that it’s possible to be a non-racist republican.

I noticed a similar view appearing more than once in the UK: "if you voted for Brexit you're probably a racist". I think people like this were ironically and unwittingly recruiting people to the other side. Which is unfortunate.

Had a friend who mused (not sure if serious, but tone somewhat suggested it) that'd he'd travel in such a way to "avoid the racist counties" (i.e. majority brexit)...
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