Live data from Hacker News

That Time I Posted Myself Out Of a Job

cohost.org

311–320 of 492 posts

Re: That Time I Posted Myself Out Of a Job

#312
post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I thought the same thing. Like, yeah, the guy was being thin-skinned and over reactive but publicly accusing your employer's client of war crimes should get you fired. If you're upset that your employer is dealing with these people, quit. Work for someone you don't hate.

If you think what your employer does is unacceptable you shouldn’t work for them (even if this happens via an acquisition). But most people are extremely hypocritical, and will gladly ignore their “ideals” in the name of the holy fat paycheque.

Or you know, most people still need the food and rent.

Do you go all out on your ideals? Does your employee not do anything that violates them?

Re: That Time I Posted Myself Out Of a Job

#313

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> publicly accusing your employer's client of war crimes What other factual statements should you not be allowed to make about your employer's clients?

Setting aside the gigantic leap and cognitive dissonance required to imply that a short-serving Chief Software Office is somehow a war criminal and answering your actual question: Avoiding factual statements that have to do with race, religion, politics, sexual orientation, and gender is a good start.

So, if say you're black and your employer pulls some racist shit on you, or a woman and they pull some sexist shit, you shouldn't post any factual statements about it, right?

Re: That Time I Posted Myself Out Of a Job

#314

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, free speech doesn't extend to criticism of the government? People should lose their jobs because they said mean words on Twitter?

You’re free to say funny words on twitter, they’re free to fire you for it. Everyone wins. Or you think you can be obnoxious clown without repercussions?

Who needs government censorship when you can outsource it?

Re: That Time I Posted Myself Out Of a Job

#315
This situation is complicated and I've noticed most of the top posters saying they would fire the employee immediately. However, the behaviour expectations weren't communicated properly post acquisition and it's really the company's management who are responsible for protecting the company from these situations. Imho the situation is something like, it's the employee's fault, but not their responsibility. Management should have done a lot more to prevent this happening and communicate to all employees expectations in a clear way. Imho the VP should have taken the L, communicated a clear policy and then dealt with the angry customer personally. This whole sacrificial 'fire the employee' thing makes the company and the VP look weak and pathetic. It's much harder to meditate and communicate towards an amicable resolution.

Re: That Time I Posted Myself Out Of a Job

#316

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, free speech doesn't extend to criticism of the government? People should lose their jobs because they said mean words on Twitter?

This is not about free speech, this is about company policy.

On his private twitter? While NOT posting about the company at all?

It was a customer of the company that got offended. Should he know every customer of the company? If the company has 1000s of customers, are they all off limits? Are you supposed to know who they are?

If you work for AT&T and an AT&T customer (of the millions it has) is a jerk or you have some political disagreement with their views, do you get to tweet about it on your personal twitter account? Should they be able to complain and get you fired?

Re: That Time I Posted Myself Out Of a Job

#317
post #101

I'm pro free speech and hate when people get cancelled for their beliefs. I don't think firing was appropriate based on the story told in the article, but also recommend not acting like the author. Not to avoid being fired but to follow the basic life rule "don't be a dick".

I wouldn't call this being "cancelled". IMO, getting fired can only mean being cancelled if it was for something not work related.

It wasn't work related, no? She wrote from the personal account, not from the @vmware or something.

I'm not pro insults on twitter. But I think much bigger problem than the insults is the way corporations try to claim everything as "work related". If that specific account or whole media (Twitter) had been explicitly mentioned as her job responsibilities, then I guess corporation was in the right, claiming that it was for work. But just trying to blanket control whole human lives during the employment period is bad. Bad for us, employees.

Re: That Time I Posted Myself Out Of a Job

#318
post #221
post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you think what your employer does is unacceptable you shouldn’t work for them (even if this happens via an acquisition). But most people are extremely hypocritical, and will gladly ignore their “ideals” in the name of the holy fat paycheque.

>If you think what your employer does is unacceptable you shouldn’t work for them (even if this happens via an acquisition). I disagree. If leadership of a company makes an ethically questionable decision and everyone who disagrees with that decision quits, that leaves an even more ethically questionable organization behind. I think all good people have an obligation to voice an ethical objection to their company's b…

> Don't just quit and let the amoral/immoral people win

If the opposite is stay and actually make efforts for change then yes. If it is staying and keeping your mouth shut then it's just keeping the status quo. And that may be fine and understandable but don't be offended when called out on that.

Re: That Time I Posted Myself Out Of a Job

#320
post #310

This has been upvoted by many people on HN, so I guess it has some value for folks here, but can anyone enlighten me as to how this outrage porn is supposed to result in curious conversation? (For anyone wondering, I flagged it.)

That's disingenuous of you. This article sparks conversations about workplace boundaries and corpo vs personal ethics and rights, as can be clearly seen by the other comments.

We agree on the fact that it does spark conversation, I’m just not sure whether it’s the right kind of conversation for this place.
Post reply on HN