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

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

#111

Post by rolltiide » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:48 PM UTC

baby wrote: post #29

I'm not at Google but my guess is that the number of Chinese employees and the current protests in HongKong might create some internal political fights.

Exactly, the relationship with China is way more fractious and important. Very unlikely triggered by domestic US opinions as almost nothing will affect their relationship with the US (specifically because there is no consolidation of single-party power), so people debating “stretch goals” in advancing US inclusion and US civil rights doesn't really change anything. If you know “how to America” then you know how to take advantage of anyone in charge and it doesn't matter how divided the country is.

But Hyper-patriotic Chinese employees dealing with US ideology towards China certainly would change things.

Its not so different than vocally disagreeing with Israel’s “foreign” policy and expecting to still remain employed anywhere. Not gonna happen!

You have to recognize who the masters are or who they are beholden to.

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

#112

Post by mullingitover » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:48 PM UTC

baby wrote: post #29

I'm not at Google but my guess is that the number of Chinese employees and the current protests in HongKong might create some internal political fights.

Being from China, which bans Google, while working at Google and arguing in favor of China's policies toward Hong Kong must make for some severe cognitive dissonance.

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

#113

Post by magashna » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:48 PM UTC

19ylram49 wrote: post #48

taurath wrote: post #17

Why shouldn’t employees of the company with the goal of organizing all the worlds information debate politics? Everything is political. Especially information.

Exactly. I find it quite bizarre when some folks suggest divorcing from politics as if the possibility exists. Everything is political. Even this very conversation is political.

It must be exhausting to have this mindset. Sometimes a story is just a story, a joke is just a joke, and there isn't a me vs you argument to be had.

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

#114

Post by quotemstr » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:48 PM UTC

What's remarkable is how the media narrative surrounding this rule change seems to suggest that it's a bad thing, while the popular response is overwhelmingly positive. I've yet to see one of these articles quote someone who isn't an internal activist or present the perspective of any employee who likes the change.

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

#115

Post by tdb7893 » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:48 PM UTC

SkyBelow wrote: post #64

>I think they just overestimated the ability of their employees to respect each other when they hold differing world views. I think this can be quite difficult to do just because of the political views involved. For example, how should a gay man respect a colleague who honestly thinks that homosexuality should be punished with death. In such a case, I would say that even asking the first individual to tolerate, much…

I've seen people at work defend trans hate as a "conservative value". It's fine if people have different opinions on taxes but to reject people's identity like that, especially one held by some of their colleagues, should cross a line and they shouldn't be able to hide behind "conservative values".

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

#116

Post by jackcosgrove » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:49 PM UTC

BurningFrog wrote: post #24

taurath wrote: post #17

Why shouldn’t employees of the company with the goal of organizing all the worlds information debate politics? Everything is political. Especially information.

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

I think there are a lot of reasons someone at work may not be doing work, that have nothing to do with talking about politics. BRB...gotta get to work ;)

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

#117

Post by Koshkin » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:49 PM UTC

malka wrote: post #15

frenchyatwork wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By that standard, most interesting work is political.

Everything is political. So Google is obviously banning a subset of politic.

> Everything is political.

Math is not political.

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

#118

Post by Geeek » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:49 PM UTC

pseudalopex wrote: post #108

Geeek wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Serious question, how does being lesbian (sexual attraction description) go along with being asaxual, which I understand to mean the lack of sexual attraction to others?

Romantic attraction.

What is?

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

#119

Post by fzeroracer » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:49 PM UTC

Koshkin wrote: post #70

19ylram49 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. I find it quite bizarre when some folks suggest divorcing from politics as if the possibility exists. Everything is political. Even this very conversation is political.

> Everything is political. Math is not political.

Google's page ranking algorithm can be considered very political despite being essentially just math as you put it.

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

#120

Post by anoncake » Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 4:49 PM UTC

sergiotapia wrote: post #28

Monkey has shit the bed already though hasn't it. I never had the need to discuss politics at work. Just don't do it, why open that can of worms. Absolutely no need to do so. One time a coworker asked me and I said "I don't discuss politics at work". Be professional, people.

Of course there is a need to discuss politics. It isn't a separate thing that can be divorced from what it's about, i.e. everything. That includes work.