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James Damore and three others end Google suit

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Re: James Damore and three others end Google suit

#61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I had designed the system, I would have made it a fireable offense to knowingly leak something from the platform. Without a penalty, this kind of situation was both foreseeable and inevitable.

That would have been a PR disaster for Google. Woman retaliated against for whisteblowing the company's sexism for the whole world to see. She would have been made a hero.

It was a semi-private, opt-in platform to my understanding. There is no reason to think Damore pushed his sexism into his day-to-day work.

Re: James Damore and three others end Google suit

#62
post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Headlines matter.

I think the crazy nature of things now very much means you can become some groups hero overnight..... potentially not of your own choice. Accordingly I don't see the headline telling me what he personally thinks.

Oh come on are you serious? The alignment with "Right-Wing" in the headline of a story that more or less has nothing to do with that and is about the end of a lawsuit isn't intentional?

Re: James Damore and three others end Google suit

#63

It was a joint request to dismiss with no further comment, ie, almost certainly a settlement & a nondisclosure agreement.

My thoughts as well - makes sense. It's going to continue to bring Google a headache, especially with conservatism on the apparent rise (i.e. still could have Trump in 2024). Far easier to settle with a non-disclosure clause and an agreement to halt all public appearances. James Damore went on a campaign of visiting universities and other locations to discuss his views. Honestly, it was a good move, his case was weak…

> still could have Trump in 2024

You mean you think he'll lose this election but come back to win the next one?

Re: James Damore and three others end Google suit

#64
post #16

I remember at a previous job, a female engineer talking to other engineers when the Damore story broke. She said "I can't believe he said that women can't be good engineers" and indicated he deserved to be fired. As someone who actually read what he wrote, I just had to bite my tongue. That's not what he said at all , but even making the distinction makes you one of "them" and politicizes the workplace. It's just dis…

You didn't have to bite your tongue - you could've told her she's wrong.

This is one of the few examples where the phrase "political correctness" could be used correctly. Speaking 'correct' facts is not the 'correct' move to maximize the probability of still having a job tomorrow.

Re: James Damore and three others end Google suit

#65
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> even making the distinction makes you one of "them" and politicizes the workplace. this is how stalin and any of the authoritarian regimes would've started their control. To make people fear reprisals. To make people fear debate by outright social pressure to conform. I think you did the wrong thing by passive default of agreeing and not rocking the boat.

You need to read up on Stalin. He focused more on mass murder and less on social pressure.

Kinda both. Somebody had to write those complaints to the NKVD and participate in those meetings demanding to put down the traitors like rabid dogs. And if you didn't participate enthusiastically enough, be sure the NKVD would hear about it the next day, from multiple sources (and also would hear about everyone who didn't write). It was a system where participation wasn't optional.

Re: James Damore and three others end Google suit

#66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Politics doesn't belong in a professional environment. So employees should be avoiding the topic.

I don't like that attitude. We should be able to discuss politics without the need for judging each other.

I agree it would be nice, but I think there's evidence that not every employee will remain civil during such discussions.

Re: James Damore and three others end Google suit

#67

Damore does not fit into the neat ideological right or left classification but it would be impossible for an institution like Bloomberg to have nuance on this issue. Just because some deplorable lifted him up doesn't mean he should be defined specifically on an ideological axis. But, of course, who gives a fuck. The rage machine rages on.

He chose to appear on at least one show that routinely promotes white-nationalist talking points – I don't think his politics is really much of a question.

Re: James Damore and three others end Google suit

#68
post #16

I remember at a previous job, a female engineer talking to other engineers when the Damore story broke. She said "I can't believe he said that women can't be good engineers" and indicated he deserved to be fired. As someone who actually read what he wrote, I just had to bite my tongue. That's not what he said at all , but even making the distinction makes you one of "them" and politicizes the workplace. It's just dis…

You didn't have to bite your tongue - you could've told her she's wrong.

If he wanted to risk being treated as a radioactive dumpster all the rest of his time working at that company - sure, he could. Maybe it wouldn't happen - maybe she would turn out a wonderful individual who would thank him for correcting her and educating her about the truth. Or maybe not. Given the risks of "maybe not" - the smart money is on "bite your tongue".

Re: James Damore and three others end Google suit

#69

This topic is quickly going downhill in the comments, but I just wanted to clear some stuff up because there seems to be some "what he said isn't that bad!" People wrongly think he said women are bad or stupid but that's not what he did say. He also didn't -just- say men and women are different. He did say a 5-10% difference in certain traits is why there are huge discrepancies of women in leadership and science/engi…

Be careful. This thread is already full of sensitive dudes who resent the idea that maybe, just maybe, they've gotten to their grand positions because of subtle biases that negatively affected other cohorts while benefiting them.

The fragility is oh so very, very real.

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