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Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

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Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#21

Post by rednerrus »

avalys wrote: post #18
throwaway_dcnt wrote: post #11

The reason for my current user name here at hn was this exact form of racism. It is the first post I made when I created this throwaway. I was assured that my experience was unique and not widespread. I am both sad and happy to see this, sad because it exists, happy because it is getting some attention here at HN. I would like to take this opportunity to point out that everyone of us needs to be vigilant about this t…

The solution you propose is arguably just as bad and I suspect it might be illegal in the US. If I am a qualified manager or tech lead, and there is an opportunity to lead a new project, I would be furious to learn that I was passed over for the opportunity because someone believed I was ethnically incompatible with one of the people on the team.

The comment was about not allowing them in the interviewing process.

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#22

Post by JoeAltmaier »

AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #20
lisper wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would never even occur to me to ask someone what caste they were from, not just in Silicon Valley where I happen to live, but anywhere in the U.S. Seriously, who does that?

It actually does occur to me, mostly because I'm curious if all of my coworkers are of Brahmin caste. It doesn't matter to me personally, but obviously it would be of interest if all of the people in the Managerial or Lead roles are from a certain caste, while all of the lower-level Devs are in another.

Couldn't that be a follow-on effect from a lifetime of advantages in education and opportunity costs? It's not necessary to imagine a special Brahmin-loving company administration.

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#23

Post by wincy »

Bhilai wrote: post #9
belval wrote: post #7

To Indian commenters on HN, how much of that is true? Do you feel threatened when a coworker asks about where you are from? It's something I do ask from time to time (not during interviews obviously, but during lunch for example) out of pure curiosity. Should I stop? I guess that I should explicitly add that I am not from India. Cross-cultural communications can be a bit difficult at times and I'd rather not make blu…

A lot of stuff mentioned in the article is true. I would even go ahead (at peril being downvoted by Indian patriots) that India is a deeply racist country. My parents, educated upper middle class working folks use to 'educate' me to not get married outside our caste and such. Caste system is deeply rooted in India and you can pretty much read about it from lots of sources online. India has a lot of right provisions (…

Okay so curious, I have a South Indian neighbor who is Muslim. I assume Muslims are just a different thing outside of the caste system, despite people saying caste is not rooted in Hinduism? (I’m not saying it is, just curious how an Indian might view their Muslim neighbors).

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#24

Post by birdyrooster »

A bit off topic but, separate from Indian culture, the United States has a hidden caste system too that flows from antiquity and is given texture through American slavery. If your family was a slave or you look like a slave you are, unconscious in the minds of most, systemically bottom caste here.

Sorry if it is an unsatisfying critique of America but its obvious. Go look at the wealth data, look who is thriving and has net worth or success in business.

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#25

Post by simmanian »

zozbot234 wrote: post #14

It's so disappointing to see in the article that caste discrimination is still being blamed by some on the religion of Hinduism. There's no dharmic status whatsoever for "caste" in the commonplace sense. The Vedas occasionally talk about something that gets misinterpreted as caste, but it's very clear from the texts that they're talking about individual callings and aptitudes, and not any sort of immutable status. Th…

I think it's fair to say that the caste system is greatly influenced by the flavor of reincarnation in hinduism and vice versa. the buddha himself set out to seek enlightenment and free himself from suffering when he saw that so many people from the lower castes are suffering. it eventually led him to reject hinduism and teach that nobody suffers in this life because of something that happened in "past" lives (in fact, he almost categorically rejected reincarnation as a process where individuals are born again and again, something many buddhists today do not understand), that everyone can attain true freedom and happiness. I assume this teaching is why Ambedkar came to reject hinduism and embrace buddhism as shown in the article.

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#26

Post by yrgulation »

The caste system is so deeply entrenched in the culture of those abused by it that even centuries after leaving india they cant leave it behind.

Romania has a considerable group of such people. The Gipsy (also know as Romani) are an Indian people that are thought to have been part of a caste and fled India hundreds of years ago. To this day they cant lift themselves up, and frankly the government of Romania is not doing much at all. To call it an injustice it would he an understatement.

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#27

Post by winterplace »

throwaway_dcnt wrote: post #11

The reason for my current user name here at hn was this exact form of racism. It is the first post I made when I created this throwaway. I was assured that my experience was unique and not widespread. I am both sad and happy to see this, sad because it exists, happy because it is getting some attention here at HN. I would like to take this opportunity to point out that everyone of us needs to be vigilant about this t…

Is there a way to privately message you?

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#28

Post by johntiger1 »

birdyrooster wrote: post #24

A bit off topic but, separate from Indian culture, the United States has a hidden caste system too that flows from antiquity and is given texture through American slavery. If your family was a slave or you look like a slave you are, unconscious in the minds of most, systemically bottom caste here. Sorry if it is an unsatisfying critique of America but its obvious. Go look at the wealth data, look who is thriving and…

from my understanding, the caste system is thousands of years old (in fact one of the reason islam was welcomed and later sikh religion developed). are you sure that american slavery was the origin?

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#29

Post by crate_barre »

simmanian wrote: post #16
rajeshp1986 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't find any truth in it at all not especially in Silicon Valley. These articles are a coerced effort to bring up the caste divide from India into US and divide the Indian diaspora.

The article mentions there were hundreds of people who joined a Zoom call to give testimonies. In your view, is the author exaggerating?

It could be possible they are projecting the home grown issue of India onto America. Racism is traumatic, and can lead to ptsd. If you dealt with it, you will amplify it wherever you even think it could exist, eg ‘I already know what you think about me’ as an internal thought. Imagine if your whole life you were looked at as X, you will feel like X even if you are in an environment that may not be doing this to you.

Severe defensiveness. Not trying to undermine testimony, but life is a spectrum. On the spectrum of all testimonies, there is without a doubt corroborating testimonies that are the result of trauma.

I’ll give an example. I’m an alcoholic. There are times my shame is so great that even in random stores where I go to buy some beer, I can feel eyes on me as if the whole world knows I’m an alcoholic. It’s an intense feeling of guilt and shame. Other examples of this are imposter syndrome arising from being doubted. If you ever been doubted in any meaningful way, you can palpably feel the doubt on your skin in new situations - all from past trauma. But in reality, no one may be doubting you in these new situations.

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#30

Post by avalys »

rednerrus wrote: post #21
avalys wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The solution you propose is arguably just as bad and I suspect it might be illegal in the US. If I am a qualified manager or tech lead, and there is an opportunity to lead a new project, I would be furious to learn that I was passed over for the opportunity because someone believed I was ethnically incompatible with one of the people on the team.

The comment was about not allowing them in the interviewing process.

…it says “manage and interview”?
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