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

Hundreds at Google Plan Walkout to Protest Handling of Sexual Harassment

nytimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 42 posts

Re: Hundreds at Google Plan Walkout to Protest Handling of Sexual Harassment

#21

Post by sp332 »

gcc1993 wrote: post #18
sp332 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No way, these employees don't get paid by the hour and they aren't going to pull from their PTO to protest. Having a bunch of employees standing around being unproductive hits them right in the wallet. Management is going to listen to this above almost any other signal.

The thing is that my whole management chain is going to the protests and have said they are for it (and they also have been changing sexual harassment policies the last few years anyway). The protest has lost a lot of value because the people we ostensibly protest against are already there agreeing with us.

That's only true if you were protesting against people and not bad behavior. Getting management to be visibly on your side should give your demands a lot more power.

Re: Hundreds at Google Plan Walkout to Protest Handling of Sexual Harassment

#22

Post by choot »

itronitron wrote: post #20
choot wrote: post #17

One of my friend working for a big tech once told me, if you go back in time, you'll see powerful men had many women. Why do you think at Google it will be any different? Being one of the most powerful organizations, it attracts power hungry people. Not only those who want money and fame, but those who want others to submit to them and make others do whatever they want. Cleary such people see sexual harassment in sim…

I don't think it is accurate to say that half of women would make that choice. The damaging point of these behaviors is that people begin to assume this is normal when it is not. That is the real tragedy for Google.

I am pyscologist, I've consulted enough clients before reaching this conclusion.

If you go asking women, if they'll sleep with you for promotion. Answer will be a big NO.

Consider asking them who already faced this in real life, what did they choose?

I want companies to tackle these dynamics, so we've a much safer and fair playground for everyone.

Re: Hundreds at Google Plan Walkout to Protest Handling of Sexual Harassment

#24

Post by chug »

choot wrote: post #17

One of my friend working for a big tech once told me, if you go back in time, you'll see powerful men had many women. Why do you think at Google it will be any different? Being one of the most powerful organizations, it attracts power hungry people. Not only those who want money and fame, but those who want others to submit to them and make others do whatever they want. Cleary such people see sexual harassment in sim…

This implies women aren't capable of earning success in any way other than trading sexual favors. Also, there's a huge difference in hookup culture and casual flings vs being in a predatory relationship with a huge power imbalance.

The "ghosting" and filming comments are very odd by the way. Do you mean women are always ghosted after sex? And that men are worried random Tinder hookups are going to record them? This whole thing reads like women are evil, scheming, worthless manipulators eager to use sex against men and that high powered man pressuring them into sex is somehow a favor since it gives them an opportunity to play out those schemes.

Re: Hundreds at Google Plan Walkout to Protest Handling of Sexual Harassment

#25

Post by choot »

chug wrote: post #24
choot wrote: post #17

One of my friend working for a big tech once told me, if you go back in time, you'll see powerful men had many women. Why do you think at Google it will be any different? Being one of the most powerful organizations, it attracts power hungry people. Not only those who want money and fame, but those who want others to submit to them and make others do whatever they want. Cleary such people see sexual harassment in sim…

This implies women aren't capable of earning success in any way other than trading sexual favors. Also, there's a huge difference in hookup culture and casual flings vs being in a predatory relationship with a huge power imbalance. The "ghosting" and filming comments are very odd by the way. Do you mean women are always ghosted after sex? And that men are worried random Tinder hookups are going to record them? This w…

> This implies women aren't capable of earning success in any way other than trading sexual favors.

No i never implied this. If there is shortcut to top vs 5 additional years of efforts and access to elite club. What do you choose?

>The "ghosting" and filming comments are very odd by the way. Do you mean women are always ghosted after sex?

You misunderstood my point.

If someone refuses to trade sexual favours, they often face retaliation and are ghosted (their presence/efforts are not acknowledged). They get no rewards for their sincere efforts.

>And that men are worried random Tinder hookups are going to record them?

I am not accusing women of recording them. I am saying that executives don't record victim while having sex. So there is no risk of losing reputation for victim as executive has lot more reputation to lose.

No i am painting no one as manipulator. I am explaining the reward/risk dynamics of sexual harassment.

Re: Hundreds at Google Plan Walkout to Protest Handling of Sexual Harassment

#26

Post by gretch »

ctvo wrote: post #7
gretch wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They probably don't like it but also believe that the walk out doesn't _do_ anything. To clarify even further, there's been a lot internal messaging internally from execs condemning sexual harassment and assault since the news cycle. If one believes this messaging, then walking out adds almost nothing more to the situation. If you think the execs are lying to you at all, but especially on this topic, you probably alr…

What other forms of protest would you suggest that _does_ do something? Or do you have an issue with protesting at all? Can I summarize your reply as if you don't like it quit?

I think you put a lot of words into my mouth. It would wrong to summarize my argument as that because I made no recommendations to the course of action anyone should take. I only tried to explain the mentality of a non-walker (source: I will probably not walk tomorrow, unless maybe there's good snacks)

I don't have any issue with this form of protesting, I'm just explaining why I don't do it.

I like to help bring about change by 1) being the change I want to see in the world 2) convincing a small group of more personal connections to see things my way

I think if we all did that, the world could be a good place

Re: Hundreds at Google Plan Walkout to Protest Handling of Sexual Harassment

#27

Post by itronitron »

ilove_banh_mi wrote: post #2

1,500 of 94,000 What do the other 98.4% think about silently paying millions of dollars in exit packages to male executives accused of sexual harassment?

They may be thinking that a strong enough message has been sent to the company's leadership and choose to make progress on the things they need to work on. People that have been at a company longer than five years know that organizational change is inevitable and they are making note of whether the next shift will move the organization in a direction they can support.

Re: Hundreds at Google Plan Walkout to Protest Handling of Sexual Harassment

#28

Post by manicdee »

choot wrote: post #17

One of my friend working for a big tech once told me, if you go back in time, you'll see powerful men had many women. Why do you think at Google it will be any different? Being one of the most powerful organizations, it attracts power hungry people. Not only those who want money and fame, but those who want others to submit to them and make others do whatever they want. Cleary such people see sexual harassment in sim…

You’ll need to back this up with numbers. Not anecdotal evidence from a therapist whose clients are likely to be people who have made questionable choices which is why they are seeing a therapist in the first place …

I know plenty of successful women who didn’t sleep their way to the top, and plenty of successful men who didn’t either.

Re: Hundreds at Google Plan Walkout to Protest Handling of Sexual Harassment

#29

Post by bonyen »

Time to bust out the popcorn!

James Damore was fired because his memo created a “hostile work environment”, but organizing a walkout with 1500 employees has the support of Pichai, the CEO?

And these same employees want blood from Brin and Schmidt, who are essentially among Pichai’s bosses? Things could get very ugly, very quickly.

The inmates are running the asylum.

Re: Hundreds at Google Plan Walkout to Protest Handling of Sexual Harassment

#30

Post by itronitron »

gretch wrote: post #3
ilove_banh_mi wrote: post #2

1,500 of 94,000 What do the other 98.4% think about silently paying millions of dollars in exit packages to male executives accused of sexual harassment?

They probably don't like it but also believe that the walk out doesn't _do_ anything. To clarify even further, there's been a lot internal messaging internally from execs condemning sexual harassment and assault since the news cycle. If one believes this messaging, then walking out adds almost nothing more to the situation. If you think the execs are lying to you at all, but especially on this topic, you probably alr…

how long do execs last at Google if they lie to their reports?
Post reply on HN