Coinbase offers exit package for employees not comfortable with its mission • Hacker News Board

Re: Coinbase offers exit package for employees not comfortable with its mission

#251

Post by Loughla » Wed, Sep 30, 2020, 1:02 PM UTC

clinta wrote: post #230

vowelless wrote: post #215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Politics is ultimately about how we engage and collaborate with each other as a society, It is so sad that people increasingly have this view. Politics was never how “we engaged and collaborated in society”.

Politics is discussing when it is justified and appropriate to use violence. For enforcing laws, collecting taxes ect... All peaceful human interaction falls outside of that.

I legitimately do not understand defining collecting taxes as violence. That's like the third time I've seen this type of argument on HN.

I don't get it. Can you please explain that to me?

Re: Coinbase offers exit package for employees not comfortable with its mission

#252

Post by adamzapasnik » Wed, Sep 30, 2020, 1:04 PM UTC

Zenbit_UX wrote: post #120

Why is a company wanting to be apolitical is controversial? That should be the default, is this an American thing like how masks and healthcare are controversial? I would expect a government to have proper separation from church and state, so why is it weird to want a company to separate politics and mission? I can't see any good coming from being in a work environment where the company supports a political issue I'm…

I think it used to be like that?

My dad taught me not to talk about politics nor religion in a workplace. I think it's for the best.

Re: Coinbase offers exit package for employees not comfortable with its mission

#253

Post by mc32 » Wed, Sep 30, 2020, 1:06 PM UTC

wwright wrote: post #127

Zenbit_UX wrote: post #120

Why is a company wanting to be apolitical is controversial? That should be the default, is this an American thing like how masks and healthcare are controversial? I would expect a government to have proper separation from church and state, so why is it weird to want a company to separate politics and mission? I can't see any good coming from being in a work environment where the company supports a political issue I'm…

I (and many others) are of the opinion that you can’t truly be apolitical; claiming to be so is its own form of politics (and generally one that supports the status quo). Politics is ultimately about how we engage and collaborate with each other as a society, not just which “party” you like. The very act of being a company is very relative to the laws and regulations your country has, which are of course determined b…

Politics is too personal and can only lead to discord among employees. There is little upside to politics being in the open in an established company. It may be useful in attracting talent at some point, but at another point it becomes a liability, unless your company is a PAC or something of the sort. If you serve a wide audience or have a wide workforce, it’s less headache if workers separate their politics from their work unless the employer is paying you to be political.

Re: Coinbase offers exit package for employees not comfortable with its mission

#254

Post by specialp » Wed, Sep 30, 2020, 1:09 PM UTC

mdifrgechd wrote: post #84

howlgarnish wrote: post #11

As a non-American, I find it truly bizarre (and sad) that's it's now controversial to publicly state that you're not taking sides.

Something I've found about recent "activism" (not sure if that's the best word) is that the supporters act like it's not enough to acknowledge and agree with the activists aims, but that these aims must in fact be the most important issue the world faces, and if you're not 100% committed you are against them. I think this 'My cause is "the" cause' has arisen as an escalation in the fight for attention. And I think it…

Or also you can be for the cause, but if you are not for every single thing done in the name of that cause, you are against them. Or worse, with "the other side" (as if all issues only have a binary choice)

It really does remind me of the "family values" religious conservatives of the past. Proving how pure and wholesome they are and competing on it by doing more and more things that aren't just living a good honest life, but are trying to infringe on the lives of others. All to show your circle of other supposedly pure friends how godly you are. So it takes a noble cause which is to live an honest and good life and perverts it into a strange contest of virtue.

Re: Coinbase offers exit package for employees not comfortable with its mission

#255

Post by philipov » Wed, Sep 30, 2020, 1:12 PM UTC

mc32 wrote: post #253

wwright wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I (and many others) are of the opinion that you can’t truly be apolitical; claiming to be so is its own form of politics (and generally one that supports the status quo). Politics is ultimately about how we engage and collaborate with each other as a society, not just which “party” you like. The very act of being a company is very relative to the laws and regulations your country has, which are of course determined b…

Politics is too personal and can only lead to discord among employees. There is little upside to politics being in the open in an established company. It may be useful in attracting talent at some point, but at another point it becomes a liability, unless your company is a PAC or something of the sort. If you serve a wide audience or have a wide workforce, it’s less headache if workers separate their politics from th…

Yes, and choosing to have such a policy about political discussion is a political act that supports the status quo by quashing dissent. Therefore, many people who are not happy with the status quo are upset by companies that do this.

Re: Coinbase offers exit package for employees not comfortable with its mission

#256

Post by swiley » Wed, Sep 30, 2020, 1:12 PM UTC

Zenbit_UX wrote: post #120

Why is a company wanting to be apolitical is controversial? That should be the default, is this an American thing like how masks and healthcare are controversial? I would expect a government to have proper separation from church and state, so why is it weird to want a company to separate politics and mission? I can't see any good coming from being in a work environment where the company supports a political issue I'm…

This doesn't sound like an apolitical mission to me, in fact it sounds like quite the opposite. They're doing their absolute best to eliminate potential traitors.

Re: Coinbase offers exit package for employees not comfortable with its mission

#257

Post by jwalton » Wed, Sep 30, 2020, 1:12 PM UTC

wwright wrote: post #127

Zenbit_UX wrote: post #120

Why is a company wanting to be apolitical is controversial? That should be the default, is this an American thing like how masks and healthcare are controversial? I would expect a government to have proper separation from church and state, so why is it weird to want a company to separate politics and mission? I can't see any good coming from being in a work environment where the company supports a political issue I'm…

I (and many others) are of the opinion that you can’t truly be apolitical; claiming to be so is its own form of politics (and generally one that supports the status quo). Politics is ultimately about how we engage and collaborate with each other as a society, not just which “party” you like. The very act of being a company is very relative to the laws and regulations your country has, which are of course determined b…

> How can they truly be neutral on all these issues that are directly relevant to the business they do?

They most definitely will not be neutral on policy decisions that affect their business, and if you go read their blog post they said exactly that:

> If there is a bill introduced around crypto, we may engage here, but we normally wouldn’t engage in policy decisions around healthcare or education for example.

Re: Coinbase offers exit package for employees not comfortable with its mission

#258

Post by disruptalot » Wed, Sep 30, 2020, 1:15 PM UTC

sneak wrote: post #91

ponker wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's something that makes me very uneasy about companies and individuals having to go on the record saying "Black Lives Matter" or being ostracized. It feels like a shibboleth, like kids reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, like the Parsley Massacre, like a kid twisting another kid's arm saying "Say uncle! Say uncle!" That said, I don't think Armstrong's blog post made a strong argument against these kinds of mantra…

Well, the reason that's happening is that a lot of people benefit a lot from a widespread culture of white supremacy, and the systems, to use the popular terms, need to be actively dismantled, because they were actively designed and have been (and continue to be) actively maintained. Disambiguating those who haven't thought much about it simply because it doesn't affect them from people who actively don't give a shit…

You've prescribed here numerous viewpoints that are each fiercely debated and you expect everyone to take it as a package or be on the "status quo".

Re: Coinbase offers exit package for employees not comfortable with its mission

#259

Post by eyeball » Wed, Sep 30, 2020, 1:16 PM UTC

michaelt wrote: post #222

eyeball wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> After all, nobody would complain if the KKK had brought Microsoft Office licenses, any more than they'd complain if the KKK had brought food at wal-mart. Oh yes they would. Selling to the KKK would make Microsoft and Walmart KKK supporters.

Wal-mart doesn't know if that shopper is on their way to the KKK cook-out. If you've heard someone proposing wal-mart should start IDing shoppers to check them against a blacklist of undesirables, they were trolling you.

By not verifying that every customer is in lock step with the party line, Walmart is actively supporting racism.

Re: Coinbase offers exit package for employees not comfortable with its mission

#260

Post by dvdhnt » Wed, Sep 30, 2020, 1:16 PM UTC

I'm sorry to tell everyone but this entire premise is insincere.

Sure, 50 years ago MAYBE this would have been valid, but I'm doubtful.

Are we going to ignore that companies in Germany were profiting off of the Nazi regime? Lockheed-Martin, BAE, etc pushing us into infinite war. Oil and gas companies lying about climate change. Coinbase is taking the side of those types of companies.

Climate change has been hijacked as a political issue. Lobbyists from companies are constantly arguing in favor of more damaging and exploitive rules for society.

So, no you can't be apolitical. Armstrong is being selfish and privileged. He's signaling to employees that they need to shut up and make money. If I was working there, I'd be glad this was exposed now instead of later.