Live data from Hacker News

‘Tokenized’: Black Workers’ Struggles at Coinbase

nytimes.com

201–210 of 717 posts

Re: ‘Tokenized’: Black Workers’ Struggles at Coinbase

#201
post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To repeat the grandparent, what else can they do? Many of the "issues" bought up in this article aren't even problematic. It says John Russ left because Armstrong took public stance that he wanted Coinbase to focus on crypto space stuff. Coinbase's stance there is fair, reasonable and moral. It is desirable that some companies just do what it says on the tin. If Russ had a reason for quitting that was race-related th…

They can do nothing, once someone calls you 'racist' you're racist for good. I don't know the details of the story, but the thing is with baseless accusations of racism is that it's a perfect slander, one can never prove innocence once proclaimed guilty.

If a San Francisco denizen says to you, "I stepped in human poop" you don't say, "Pics or it didn't happen." That's becuse it's a common occurrence. It's plausible it happened.

The same is true of racism in Silicon Valley and the adjoint areas. Being less racist is actually the unusual condition that requires proof.

Re: ‘Tokenized’: Black Workers’ Struggles at Coinbase

#202
post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One could argue that it would be unethical to use your investors’ money as a political (or even idealogical) bullhorn. Notwithstanding, such a position places zero restrictions on doing the same with your own money..but corporations make for more interesting headlines than the individuals that run them.

I think it's pretty clear that one's moral duty to oppose racism far outweighs one's fiduciary duty to investors.

Everyone at Coinbase opposes racism. They just disagree with noisy activists about how.

Re: ‘Tokenized’: Black Workers’ Struggles at Coinbase

#203
post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can't separate work from politics. The fact that you have a job in the first place is political.

And your “everything is political even the apple you eat” post-modernist schlock is the attitude I want to avoid.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7428870/millions-of-apples-rottin...

But, even the apple you eat, though.

Re: ‘Tokenized’: Black Workers’ Struggles at Coinbase

#204

Core to attitudes like Coinbase's (as described in the article) the theory that their only responsibility is profit for their shareholders. IMHO, that theory is like many others today: It's attractive - it simplifies everything and even makes it quantifiable - but does not stand up to a moment's scrutiny. Almost everything Coinbase has comes from their community: Liberty; peace; political functionality and stability;…

>It's just an absurd, transparent rationalization for selfishness to try to justify being a parasite on all that by not contributing to it and being responsible for making it work.

But we have an entire institution dedicated to solving these types of problems - the government. We don't want corporations trying to "make it work" or "contributing" - we want people to pay their taxes so the government can execute its mission.

Re: ‘Tokenized’: Black Workers’ Struggles at Coinbase

#206
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's nothing in the article alleging that Brian Armstrong attributed "bad stuff" to being on the autistic spectrum. The only allegation in the article is that Brian Armstrong did not speak or make decisions at meetings, and attributed this to being on the spectrum. The full quote is: >"Mr. Armstrong rarely spoke or made decisions in meetings, the current and former employees said, leaving them uncertain about his…

Obviously they were talking about decisions regarding the treatment and complaints of black employees. I mean honestly what is there to think about? What are the other stakeholders he’d need to consult, racists? What other considerations, what is the other side, what downside is there about being against harassment? Every educated person could issue a quick decision: reprimand the people harassing your black employee…

> What are the other stakeholders he’d need to consult

Labor attorneys, hopefully. An executive has a fiduciary duty not to make from-the-hip pronouncements (true or not) that might hurt the company’s case in court.

Re: ‘Tokenized’: Black Workers’ Struggles at Coinbase

#207

When minorities get hired just because companies want to show they are doing their part, doesn't it make sense people hired because of their skin color have harder times to get promotions?

If there was a positive discrimination program (big if) it is well studied; the effect is the so-called Berkson's Paradox [0]. Positive discrimination programs reduce the pool quality of the group they are targeted at.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkson%27s_paradox

Re: ‘Tokenized’: Black Workers’ Struggles at Coinbase

#208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They can do nothing, once someone calls you 'racist' you're racist for good. I don't know the details of the story, but the thing is with baseless accusations of racism is that it's a perfect slander, one can never prove innocence once proclaimed guilty.

If a San Francisco denizen says to you, "I stepped in human poop" you don't say, "Pics or it didn't happen." That's becuse it's a common occurrence. It's plausible it happened. The same is true of racism in Silicon Valley and the adjoint areas. Being less racist is actually the unusual condition that requires proof.

>Being less racist is actually the unusual condition that requires proof

are you for real?

Re: ‘Tokenized’: Black Workers’ Struggles at Coinbase

#209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From Coinbase's "About us"[1] > They don't know how to get women on a panel 2 out of 7 members of the exec team are women. > they don't know hot to get qualified people of color in positions to change things 4 out of 7 members of the exec team have last names of Choi, Chatterjee, Grewal, Gupta. It's almost as if you have strong biases (or delusions) and didn't even do a basic fact check before making bold claims agai…

Where is the Hispanic and Black representation? I see 3/15 people on that page being women, not a very strong point for a group that is 50% of the population. This is the standard SV makeup. Do a random sample of any large tech company and this is the team you’d get. This tells me they’re not doing anything different.

Why should any company or board reflect the population?
Post reply on HN