Google Doesn’t Want Staff Debating Politics at Work Anymore • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Doesn’t Want Staff Debating Politics at Work Anymore

#51

Post by losteric » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:38 PM UTC

scarface74 wrote: post #7

moresocialism wrote: post #4

The problem is that what constitutes politics? Guns shouldn't be political, who you have sex with shouldn't be political...but in our current climate, they are both considered political. ..and no debating? Most people at Google are shades of left. It sounds like they are just trying to drown out dissenting views once again.

Why do you feel the need to talk about sex at work or guns?

"Hey man, what did you do this weekend?" - "Not much, my husband and I went up to the cabin to spend some time hunting and fishing"

For normal adults, that's just someone sharing their pleasant weekend... but others are triggered by implied gay sex and gun possession.

Re: Google Doesn’t Want Staff Debating Politics at Work Anymore

#52

Post by arcticbull » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

refurb wrote: post #46

BurningFrog wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because they have work to do. That's why they're there.

Exactly. If I'm working on a team that is rolling out a new Google drive feature, I really don't need to hear you talk about why drinking straws are a phallic symbol and used by the patriarchy to keep woman down. We have work to do.

I'm sure the oppressed party in your example feels the polar opposite and don't want to hear your whining about how feminism doesn't matter in modern society because it's good enough as is. And I think that's the point :)

Re: Google Doesn’t Want Staff Debating Politics at Work Anymore

#53

Post by Analemma_ » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

I think this was inevitable in the long run. From the very beginning, Google has tried to have the atmosphere of a college campus rather than a normal workplace, probably (at least in the early days before every tech company started doing this) to help them stand out among job applicants as an alternative to stuffier companies.

The thing is though, professional work environments (where there are typically norms around never discussing politics) are the way they are for a reason. Just like Bitcoiners are rediscovering why finance regulations exist, Google is rediscovering why the cool, relaxed workplace ends up causing more problems than it solves.

Re: Google Doesn’t Want Staff Debating Politics at Work Anymore

#54

Post by ceejayoz » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

theplague42 wrote: post #44

mullingitover wrote: post #22

Don't debate politics, but please contribute to our corporate PAC that supports some of the worst politicians.

Which politicians?

As an example:

https://twitter.com/Pinboard/status/1120320958382755840

@Pinboard has collected a bunch of these.

https://twitter.com/search?q=from%3Apinboard%20PAC

Re: Google Doesn’t Want Staff Debating Politics at Work Anymore

#55

Post by nostrademons » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

zarkov99 wrote: post #11

No shit. I guess Google can no longer assume that there is a single correct world view that all good and smart people hold. Who knew.

They never really did, but they used to assume Googlers would have "strong opinions lightly held", i.e. while you may have strong viewpoints it wouldn't get in the way of doing your job or allowing your coworkers to do theirs. I guess they're finding that's not really the case anymore.

Re: Google Doesn’t Want Staff Debating Politics at Work Anymore

#56

Post by vore » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

sergiotapia wrote: post #33

lostgame wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. I am transgender, lesbian, asexual and polyromantic, and none of these things have I ever had so much as a discussion about at my office, nor have they sparked any 'political' discussion. (I work at one of the major 5 banks in Canada).

"transgender, lesbian" Wait what

Your gender is not related to your sexual orientation.

Re: Google Doesn’t Want Staff Debating Politics at Work Anymore

#57

Post by daenz » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:39 PM UTC

It's almost as if embracing "the personal is political" makes people feel morally obligated and virtuous for airing every half baked and divisive political opinion. And now they want to put the genie back in the bottle? Far too late.

Re: Google Doesn’t Want Staff Debating Politics at Work Anymore

#58

Post by rubberstock » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:40 PM UTC

Since this is google, it is getting interesting:

>organizations which design systems ... are constrained to produce designs which are copies of the communication structures of these organizations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway's_law

Re: Google Doesn’t Want Staff Debating Politics at Work Anymore

#59

Post by webwielder2 » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:40 PM UTC

It's funny how we pigeonhole "things that actually matter" as "politics" and that those things are somehow taboo. I mean, what's MORE worth talking about than human rights, the environment, history, etc.?

Re: Google Doesn’t Want Staff Debating Politics at Work Anymore

#60

Post by sp332 » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:40 PM UTC

theplague42 wrote: post #44

mullingitover wrote: post #22

Don't debate politics, but please contribute to our corporate PAC that supports some of the worst politicians.

Which politicians?

@Pinboard (yes the pinboard.com guy) has been keeping track of political donations from big tech companies. https://twitter.com/Pinboard/status/1141838179936243714