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Google cancels TGIF weekly all-hands meetings

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Re: Google cancels TGIF weekly all-hands meetings

#11

I wonder if companies like Google and GitHub that actively courted activists are now regretting their decision. For a long time it was common knowledge that you would try to keep stuff like that out of the workplace. The past 10 years have been an about face to that strategy and now we're seeing more or less complete chaos internally at these previously pro-politics (some kinds of politics) workplaces. My guess is th…

To be clear, "keep politics out of the workplace" is another way of saying "I'm okay with the status quo, and if you don't like it I don't want to hear about it at work".

It's actually another way of saying I'm okay with MY status quo.

Not that that's good, necessarily. Just distinct.

Re: Google cancels TGIF weekly all-hands meetings

#12

I wonder if companies like Google and GitHub that actively courted activists are now regretting their decision. For a long time it was common knowledge that you would try to keep stuff like that out of the workplace. The past 10 years have been an about face to that strategy and now we're seeing more or less complete chaos internally at these previously pro-politics (some kinds of politics) workplaces. My guess is th…

> at these previously pro-politics (some kinds of politics) workplaces

There are no people who actually think it’s ok to bring politics into the workplace. There are only people who don’t think their politics are politics; it’s everybody else’s politics that’s politics.

Re: Google cancels TGIF weekly all-hands meetings

#13

I wonder if companies like Google and GitHub that actively courted activists are now regretting their decision. For a long time it was common knowledge that you would try to keep stuff like that out of the workplace. The past 10 years have been an about face to that strategy and now we're seeing more or less complete chaos internally at these previously pro-politics (some kinds of politics) workplaces. My guess is th…

To be clear, "keep politics out of the workplace" is another way of saying "I'm okay with the status quo, and if you don't like it I don't want to hear about it at work".

The "status quo" in the workplace (at least in this rather narrow subsector of "tech") is far from politics-free, so I'm not sure that your comment makes much sense.

Re: Google cancels TGIF weekly all-hands meetings

#14

I wonder if companies like Google and GitHub that actively courted activists are now regretting their decision. For a long time it was common knowledge that you would try to keep stuff like that out of the workplace. The past 10 years have been an about face to that strategy and now we're seeing more or less complete chaos internally at these previously pro-politics (some kinds of politics) workplaces. My guess is th…

To be clear, "keep politics out of the workplace" is another way of saying "I'm okay with the status quo, and if you don't like it I don't want to hear about it at work".

[deleted]

Re: Google cancels TGIF weekly all-hands meetings

#15

Are all-hands meetings actually ever useful to anyone or ever more than merely internal PR?

Good question. I have had all-hands in the past that were used to hear the intended direction of how goals were going to be measured, which was useful since there is always some whisper-down-the-lane noise for the actual message. But I have also been a part of all-hands that were just PR fluff about what a great job everyone is doing. So, I guess as most things, it depends.

Re: Google cancels TGIF weekly all-hands meetings

#16

I wonder if companies like Google and GitHub that actively courted activists are now regretting their decision. For a long time it was common knowledge that you would try to keep stuff like that out of the workplace. The past 10 years have been an about face to that strategy and now we're seeing more or less complete chaos internally at these previously pro-politics (some kinds of politics) workplaces. My guess is th…

To be clear, "keep politics out of the workplace" is another way of saying "I'm okay with the status quo, and if you don't like it I don't want to hear about it at work".

The old switcheroo: by not being in support of office political activism like me that means you just support the [insert bad guys]. Rabble rabble.

This sort of logic and villianization just adds to my reasons for not wanting that in my workplace.

Re: Google cancels TGIF weekly all-hands meetings

#17

I wonder if companies like Google and GitHub that actively courted activists are now regretting their decision. For a long time it was common knowledge that you would try to keep stuff like that out of the workplace. The past 10 years have been an about face to that strategy and now we're seeing more or less complete chaos internally at these previously pro-politics (some kinds of politics) workplaces. My guess is th…

> I wonder if companies like Google and GitHub that actively courted activists

You say that like it's a given truth - do you have anything to back up that assertion? FWIW, I don't recall Google courting "activists", though they obviously did court people who were highly invested in their education and careers, and of course there is probably a non-0 correlation with those types of people and "activists". I also wouldn't describe Google as "pro-politics". They certainly were pro-open-communication, but given their size now, and the complete change in the nature and temperature of political discussions over the past decade, it's not surprising at all that hey would be forced to change this.

Re: Google cancels TGIF weekly all-hands meetings

#18
I turned down an offer from Google (cloud) because I didn't want to work for a company that was so focused on politics internally. This was just after they fired Damore, not that I agree or disagree with his opinion, but because Google seems promote internal fighting. That type of culture doesn't appeal to me.

Re: Google cancels TGIF weekly all-hands meetings

#19
Nobody actively courted activists.

It's more just than tech startups generally skew younger and newer generations want their companies to reflect their own values. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

And these companies are not in complete chaos. In fact apart from the James Damore incident there hasn't been any significant change in the company cultures.

Re: Google cancels TGIF weekly all-hands meetings

#20

I wonder if companies like Google and GitHub that actively courted activists are now regretting their decision. For a long time it was common knowledge that you would try to keep stuff like that out of the workplace. The past 10 years have been an about face to that strategy and now we're seeing more or less complete chaos internally at these previously pro-politics (some kinds of politics) workplaces. My guess is th…

If American companies would like to provide 2-3 months vacation so the public can take time for political action, sure

This is just descending deeper into “more and more of your life must be dedicated to paid speech.”

Google is basically turning into that big IBM they weren’t going to be.

It’s entirely social pressure to conform to business norm.

There’s no reason things like cloud software and AI must be built by Google. Look at the Linux kernel.

This is kowtowing to financial economics first, cause paid speech is everything to an ad company.

Humanity is still emotionally transitioning away from traditional values belief in top down godhead must rule! hierarchy. We’ve seen literally for a whole now the idea of a God described by Abrahamic religion is not compatible with our physical measure of reality. But human social sensibilities take time to update as the generations of old linger

The finance economy is the last big hurdle.

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