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Ask HN: Is it unwise to post conservative opinions as a tech worker?

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Re: Ask HN: Is it unwise to post conservative opinions as a tech worker?

#11

Post by filecounter »

BMc2020 wrote: post #8

Frankly I can't tell what's real or not any more. Filecounter, if that's your real name, you could be just concern trolling. You might be sincere. You might be a bot. You might be in the 50 ruble army spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt. Maybe you're just lonely and just want someone to talk to. I would lean against posting your political opinions on the internet, and instead step away from the computer and you kno…

Here's what brought me here. I have a twitter account under my real name which I've never tweeted, and I'm afraid to even like a conservative post by Elon Musk because I feel like someone will find my account and judge me and I won't get my next job because of it. Ridiculous? I know. But I can't be the only one who self censors in today's world.

Re: Ask HN: Is it unwise to post conservative opinions as a tech worker?

#12

Post by BMc2020 »

filecounter wrote: post #11
BMc2020 wrote: post #8

Frankly I can't tell what's real or not any more. Filecounter, if that's your real name, you could be just concern trolling. You might be sincere. You might be a bot. You might be in the 50 ruble army spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt. Maybe you're just lonely and just want someone to talk to. I would lean against posting your political opinions on the internet, and instead step away from the computer and you kno…

Here's what brought me here. I have a twitter account under my real name which I've never tweeted, and I'm afraid to even like a conservative post by Elon Musk because I feel like someone will find my account and judge me and I won't get my next job because of it. Ridiculous? I know. But I can't be the only one who self censors in today's world.

I find the non sequiturish format of your post quite intriguing. Too plus too sums to an integer, but which one? Elon Musk is a good example of becoming more conservative due to great wealth, after all. His ability to read between the lines is what makes him human, after all. He really passed the The Voight-Kampff test from Blade Runner, and I respect his conservative opinions.

Re: Ask HN: Is it unwise to post conservative opinions as a tech worker?

#13

Post by muzani »

It is unwise. There is a bias. Not just against conservative opinion, but all political opinion. People are unwilling to change their own opinion, so debates are nonsensical, with people finding evidence to support a false belief rather than acknowledge that their belief could be wrong. Everyone gets further grounded in their opinion and more polarized.

Re: Ask HN: Is it unwise to post conservative opinions as a tech worker?

#14

Post by tomcam »

rbanffy wrote: post #9
filecounter wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with that. I don't talk politics on the job at all, I feel we're all the in the same boat with the same mission to succeed and everyone on the team deserves equal respect. I'm not saying I want to write a workplace manifesto like James Damore. I just want to be able to express my opinions outside of work and not have that influence hiring decisions.

James Damore is a good example. By expressing an opinion in a somewhat careless way, and by the repetition of its simplification in even more careless ways, he managed to alienate about half the workforce at the company he worked for (and almost everywhere else). I learned to use the Bernard Meltzer criteria: "Before you speak ask yourself if what you are going to say is true, is kind, is necessary, is helpful. If th…

You’ll need to cite the careless opinion. I read his email and it seemed very well intentioned and carefully thought out.

Re: Ask HN: Is it unwise to post conservative opinions as a tech worker?

#16

Post by filecounter »

BMc2020 wrote: post #12
filecounter wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's what brought me here. I have a twitter account under my real name which I've never tweeted, and I'm afraid to even like a conservative post by Elon Musk because I feel like someone will find my account and judge me and I won't get my next job because of it. Ridiculous? I know. But I can't be the only one who self censors in today's world.

I find the non sequiturish format of your post quite intriguing. Too plus too sums to an integer, but which one? Elon Musk is a good example of becoming more conservative due to great wealth, after all. His ability to read between the lines is what makes him human, after all. He really passed the The Voight-Kampff test from Blade Runner, and I respect his conservative opinions.

Well you did question if I was a cheap and lonely Russian bot. Only way I could think to respond to that is to communicate my motivation for posting. I'm glad you respect Musk's conservative opinions. He did fire quite a few workers and there are quite a few people out there who dislike him though. I don't know maybe I'm overthinking things. I feel like an overturned tortoise baking in the desert sun.

Re: Ask HN: Is it unwise to post conservative opinions as a tech worker?

#17

Post by rbanffy »

tomcam wrote: post #14
rbanffy wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

James Damore is a good example. By expressing an opinion in a somewhat careless way, and by the repetition of its simplification in even more careless ways, he managed to alienate about half the workforce at the company he worked for (and almost everywhere else). I learned to use the Bernard Meltzer criteria: "Before you speak ask yourself if what you are going to say is true, is kind, is necessary, is helpful. If th…

You’ll need to cite the careless opinion. I read his email and it seemed very well intentioned and carefully thought out.

It seems I need to re-read it.

Re: Ask HN: Is it unwise to post conservative opinions as a tech worker?

#18

Post by filecounter »

muzani wrote: post #13

It is unwise. There is a bias. Not just against conservative opinion, but all political opinion. People are unwilling to change their own opinion, so debates are nonsensical, with people finding evidence to support a false belief rather than acknowledge that their belief could be wrong. Everyone gets further grounded in their opinion and more polarized.

Thanks. I greatly appreciate your advice on this.

Re: Ask HN: Is it unwise to post conservative opinions as a tech worker?

#19

Post by wsgeorge »

Depends on who you (want to) work with.

I think about it this way: co-operation depends on trust and shared values, the lack of which hinders or prevents this.

Every one of us is a bag of values, and some of these will often intersect with some of those we work with. Since team work is an active act of co-operation, it makes more sense for me to actively share those values that are broadly in agreement with those that will improve the work relationship.

Re: Ask HN: Is it unwise to post conservative opinions as a tech worker?

#20

Post by logicalmonster »

If being inundated with certain politics at work bothers you to the point that you're thinking of engaging with them, one option might be to look for a smaller, non-tech industry company that operates in the real world. Some small regional company that (for example) repairs and installs AC units doesn't have the staff sitting around constantly sending emails about politics or attending various training sessions. In a normal environment outside of the Silicon Valley bubble, it's a lot easier to ignore politics or even politely engage with people if that's what you want.
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