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Google engineer jumps to death in NYC, second worker suicide in months
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Re: Google engineer jumps to death in NYC, second worker suicide in months
#32A coworker of mine committed suicide a couple of weeks before the date in which the company had announced that they would lay off some of us. This period of time in which we know layoffs were coming but we didn't know who was going to be let go was morale-destroying and I have no doubt in my mind that it pushed him over the edge.
He left behind his wife and two children. His name was Dave Brackman.
Re: Google engineer jumps to death in NYC, second worker suicide in months
#33Without an understanding of their motive, I think tying "google" to a person's mental health crisis is clickbait. Folks dealing with mental health issues might end their lives for a variety of factors. This is very sad to hear, but the headline (and article) that attempts to connect an employer to a person's death without any evidence is unfair. Note: I do not work for Google.
People also did this with Foxconn. Supposedly at Foxconn's scale, the suicide rate wasn't alarming, but with people living in dorms and having suicide nets set up, it looks bad.
It wasn't clear when I read that the rate wasn't alarming if they were comparing the Foxconn rate to the entire general population rate or just the employed general population rate.
I think the difference is obvious.
Re: Google engineer jumps to death in NYC, second worker suicide in months
#34Earlier quoted context omitted.
Identifying with your employer to the extent you view it as the pinnacle of your life isn’t likely to end positively. It’s just too much control to cede to a third party who has a business relationship with you.
At some extremes, this is false, right? What about someone becoming an astronaut? Getting elected president? Be cautious who you cede your identity to, but it's OK to be genuinely excited about some career outcomes.
> At some extremes, this is false, right? What about someone becoming an astronaut? Getting elected president?
No, I’d say both of those are definite examples where the rule applies; particularly the latter, which is an extremely limited term gig, overidentifying with the job is dangerous, for you in most jobs, but also potentially for others in that last one, depending on how the overidentification manifests.
Re: Google engineer jumps to death in NYC, second worker suicide in months
#35Without an understanding of their motive, I think tying "google" to a person's mental health crisis is clickbait. Folks dealing with mental health issues might end their lives for a variety of factors. This is very sad to hear, but the headline (and article) that attempts to connect an employer to a person's death without any evidence is unfair. Note: I do not work for Google.
People also did this with Foxconn. Supposedly at Foxconn's scale, the suicide rate wasn't alarming, but with people living in dorms and having suicide nets set up, it looks bad.
There was also a big case in France https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50865211
Re: Google engineer jumps to death in NYC, second worker suicide in months
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
An employee of Google who jumped from the Google office is a pretty obvious connection. Don't really see how this is clickbait.
Google employs 200,000 people. Suicide rate in the US is ~13 per 100,000 per year. This means there is an expected base rate of Google employees committing suicide per year regardless of working conditions that is likely higher than just 2. Maybe there is a real issue but two suicides within such large number of employees isn’t statistically significant. EDIT: I added "statistically" in the last sentence to clarify m…
> Google employs 200,000 people. Suicide rate in the US is ~13 per 100,000 per year. This means there is an expected base rate of Google employees committing suicide per year regardless of working conditions that is likely higher than just 2. Maybe there is a real issue but two suicides within such large number of employees isn’t really significant.
How many of those 13/100,000/year have jobs?
Re: Google engineer jumps to death in NYC, second worker suicide in months
#37[deleted]
Re: Google engineer jumps to death in NYC, second worker suicide in months
#38[deleted]
Re: Google engineer jumps to death in NYC, second worker suicide in months
#39Such a sad news. It’s really tragic someone go through this. I know the incident could be unrelated but it is also a good reminder the human cost of decisions. The fed taking decisions for the economy, companies taking decisions to maximize shareholder value and ceo pay, etc. all have huge impact on people’s lives, some of it is visible, while some of it is not.
The article says no note, no video, and they found handprints. This was nearly midnight at an outdoor terrace in the office. I guess I don’t see how anyone can say he “jumped” on purpose yet when at some point he must’ve been hanging which could have been a result of tripping on something.
I worked somewhere in midtown. We had access to a small roof above the main terrace. We were up there drinking after a party at 2 AM, sitting on the wall 8 stories up. I'm thinking don't fuck up because if you lean back, there's nothing between you and Sixth Avenue.
This is one of my "I could have died" moments.
Re: Google engineer jumps to death in NYC, second worker suicide in months
#40Sad to see such talented people take their life. Until a further investigation is made, it's hard to determine the cause. Getting into Google can be the pinnacle of one's life and ending it there is certainly symbolic. Edit: Upon further reading, how do we know exactly they jumped if there's no video evidence? Was it an accident? The article does not state enough.
Identifying with your employer to the extent you view it as the pinnacle of your life isn’t likely to end positively. It’s just too much control to cede to a third party who has a business relationship with you.
Ok so what do you tie your feeling of success to? Getting married and having kids? What if your wife divorces you? Same problem.