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Racism in Tech

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Re: Racism in Tech

#11

Post by davidw »

k33n wrote: post #9

I think racism is about as far from a relevant issue as you can get. Honestly, the people who get bent out of shape about it are just as backwards as the few people who are still actually racist. Edit: Since davidw is claiming that I think victims of racism are backwards, I'd like to clarify. I think that all victims of crimes and discrimination should be treated with respect and dignity by polite society (which far…

> I think racism is about as far from a relevant issue as you can get. Honestly, the people who get bent out of shape about it are just as backwards as the few people who are still actually racist.

Downvoted for trolling. Equating the victims of, and/or people upset about racism, which is indeed an ever present factor in the US and elsewhere, to those who actively perpetrate such backwards ideas, can be nothing less than either the fruit of a sick mind, or someone playing a troll in the internet.

Re: Racism in Tech

#12

Post by technoslut »

kahawe wrote: post #5

This story is shocking and I hate to nit-pick here but > Just to remind all of us that racism is alive and well in the US and in tech. [...] The customer site is a government owned military installation. This doesn't make it any "better", actually much worse, but this is not "in tech". What I find both shocking and curious about racism is that it is a much more widespread problem throughout the world, not only limite…

>This doesn't make it any "better", actually much worse, but this is not "in tech".

Technically it is because it's in their profession. If you're involved in major tech company there is a likelihood that you're going to have to deal with the gov't.

>What I find both shocking and curious about racism is that it is a much more widespread problem...

Many, if not most people, need to feel some sense of superiority over another individual. It starts with race but does not end there for them. Had Nazi Germany removed or killed Jews, gays, socialists, Christians, etc. they would have found some reason to hate each other.

Re: Racism in Tech

#13

Post by ericd »

kahawe wrote: post #5

This story is shocking and I hate to nit-pick here but > Just to remind all of us that racism is alive and well in the US and in tech. [...] The customer site is a government owned military installation. This doesn't make it any "better", actually much worse, but this is not "in tech". What I find both shocking and curious about racism is that it is a much more widespread problem throughout the world, not only limite…

I think there's probably an evolutionary origin - genes that compel their owners to look out for others with the same genes over those who are unlikely to share genes were likely to be more successful overall in our more violent past. Now selection favors those who are able to work well with others of all races, so perhaps it's fading.

Re: Racism in Tech

#14

Post by davidw »

nubela wrote: post #2

Well, I'm not from the valley, but I've heard that in SV, its almost as if 50% of the population is made of asians, what about that?

> I've heard that in SV, its almost as if 50% of the population is made of asians, what about that?

Mostly just some spare arms and legs, but that's ok, because programmers don't take off their shirts very often, so the effect isn't that noticeable.

Re: Racism in Tech

#16

Post by ctdonath »

kahawe wrote: post #5

This story is shocking and I hate to nit-pick here but > Just to remind all of us that racism is alive and well in the US and in tech. [...] The customer site is a government owned military installation. This doesn't make it any "better", actually much worse, but this is not "in tech". What I find both shocking and curious about racism is that it is a much more widespread problem throughout the world, not only limite…

There's a strong correlation between genes and memes (you tend to pass your ideas on to your offspring). In absence of anything else to go on, appearance is indicative of ideas held, making rapid intellectual filtering of "us vs. them" easy using physical characteristics. Yeah, it's wrong in so many ways, yet the correlation is enough for humans to develop it as a survival mechanism early on - important and persuasive when odds are "they" are going to kill you for limited food & resources in preservation & procreation of genes & memes.

Re: Racism in Tech

#17

Post by k33n »

davidw wrote: post #11
k33n wrote: post #9

I think racism is about as far from a relevant issue as you can get. Honestly, the people who get bent out of shape about it are just as backwards as the few people who are still actually racist. Edit: Since davidw is claiming that I think victims of racism are backwards, I'd like to clarify. I think that all victims of crimes and discrimination should be treated with respect and dignity by polite society (which far…

> I think racism is about as far from a relevant issue as you can get. Honestly, the people who get bent out of shape about it are just as backwards as the few people who are still actually racist. Downvoted for trolling. Equating the victims of, and/or people upset about racism, which is indeed an ever present factor in the US and elsewhere, to those who actively perpetrate such backwards ideas, can be nothing less…

Where I chose to clearly express my opinion, you chose to be extremely rude and dismissive. Who's really trolling?

Re: Racism in Tech

#18

Post by Causification »

d3x wrote: post #6

This entire issue is crap. I am a black programmer... I have no college education, came from single family home blah blah womp womp. I have launched 10+ projects for clients this year alone. I have 1 failed contract where I left because it just didn't work out. When I had success it was not because I was black and when I failed it was not because I was black. Both when I have succeeded and when I have failed was neve…

Agreed. Unless it's supported by a legal framework, racism is a self-defeating phenomenon. Racist individuals deprive themselves of the benefits offered by the group toward which they are racist, therefore making themselves less likely to succeed. If anything, a person or group of people being racist should alert you, the observant seizer of the day, to an under-utilized resource and/or market niche.

So long as big brother isn't enforcing it; another person's stupidity can always be turned to your advantage.

Re: Racism in Tech

#19

Post by notauser »

watty wrote: post #10
d3x wrote: post #6

This entire issue is crap. I am a black programmer... I have no college education, came from single family home blah blah womp womp. I have launched 10+ projects for clients this year alone. I have 1 failed contract where I left because it just didn't work out. When I had success it was not because I was black and when I failed it was not because I was black. Both when I have succeeded and when I have failed was neve…

I wouldn't be surprised if racism in the tech industry was more towards Indians.

There's certainly a lot of dislike for working with people who have strong accents, and the most commercially successful Indian technologists I have met have been the ones with the most westernised mode of speech.

Unfortunately some people take a fairly legitimate gripe (lack of easy communication) and pre-judge an entire group rather than investigating the skills and attributes of a specific individual.

Re: Racism in Tech

#20

Post by davidw »

k33n wrote: post #17
davidw wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think racism is about as far from a relevant issue as you can get. Honestly, the people who get bent out of shape about it are just as backwards as the few people who are still actually racist. Downvoted for trolling. Equating the victims of, and/or people upset about racism, which is indeed an ever present factor in the US and elsewhere, to those who actively perpetrate such backwards ideas, can be nothing less…

Where I chose to clearly express my opinion, you chose to be extremely rude and dismissive. Who's really trolling?

My opinion is that a white guy (you: https://twitter.com/#!/mikekeen ) saying that people getting upset about racism are 'backwards' is either mind-boggling insensitive or out and out trolling. Nothing rude about it - that's how I see it.

I can accept people saying "luckily, in this day and age, I think it's not so much of a problem" as something up for debate, but to state that those angered by discrimination are "backwards" and "just like the racists" is one of the most vile comments I have ever read here.

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