So he had a chance to say what he thinks of these plans to butcher NSF, but he chose to wash his hands and say "I am deeply grateful to the Presidents for the opportunity to serve our nation. " and so on.
NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy
41–50 of 259 posts
Re: NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy
#42One thing I don't understand is people resigning on principles. If something bad is happening to an organization that I hold a significant amount of clout and power in, I'm not just going to leave and hand the reigns to someone on 'their side' -- I'm going to stay and fight and try to make whatever impact I can. So many people are just leaving...instead of fighting. Which seems like it's going to have the effect of j…
There are some hills not worth die on. There are moments when a retreat is better than a worthless fight, saving people in the process. I did the same mistake working for a company that went from morally sound to "almost-Enron". I thought it is a fight worth taking. The company went its way, I made no difference in the end, I just stressed myself for years for nothing. Life is too short for that.
If more people at the company had followed your example...would it have turned out differently? Seems like you had the right idea just nobody else cared enough to join you
Re: NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy
#43Earlier quoted context omitted.
“stick it to all the too-tolerent people who let the woke movement gain power” would be a good steel manning of your argument
Which people in the woke movement had power, and what were some of the woke policies that they enacted? Every time I go down this line, it’s all vague boogeymen or claims of events that don’t hold up to scrutiny.
It is a dog whistle for "We let gays/trans/atheist people exist."
Re: NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy
#44Pretty distressing at how there’s basically zero pushback from the American elites at the destruction of all strategic American advantages and only ineffective pushback from the public. There will be entire genres of books written about how America just said “eh” to being gutted by a bunch of rich psychopaths.
With Brexit Brits got exactly what was promised, they just didn't realize what that promise actually meant and very few are happy about it these days. This is next level of "I'll deliver anyway, I know what you wanted" while fucking it up spectacularly. If only all of our pensions wouldn't be now siphoned to those few with advanced government access I would be laughing a bit more.
They did not get what was promised. They were promised large reductions in immigration, instead the Johnson government raised immigration levels to never before seen heights. Brexit enabled them to have lowered it to whatever level they wanted, but the Conservatives preferred to self destruct than compromise with the voters on mass immigration.
Re: NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy
#45Another knowledgeable person leaving due to DOGE, what a surprise. The US is loosing its smartest people due to Trump. Soon we will be a backwater country with lots of weapons, nothing else.
If the benefits don't outweigh those minor inconveniences, you're just not rich enough.
Re: NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy
#46Re: NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy
#47Pretty distressing at how there’s basically zero pushback from the American elites at the destruction of all strategic American advantages and only ineffective pushback from the public. There will be entire genres of books written about how America just said “eh” to being gutted by a bunch of rich psychopaths.
Let's be clear, most Americans like paycheck to paycheck and can't afford losing a job or being arrested for saying antigoverment stuff
The starving peasants in could afford it, right?
Re: NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy
#48Pretty distressing at how there’s basically zero pushback from the American elites at the destruction of all strategic American advantages and only ineffective pushback from the public. There will be entire genres of books written about how America just said “eh” to being gutted by a bunch of rich psychopaths.
Lets hope we get to the place were these books will be written. Books are already being banned in the US and some retailers are pulling these books from their selves.
Re: NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I'm going to stay and fight and try to make whatever impact I can. Can you give me some examples of how you would fight? Boss comes in (or whoever more powerful than me, e.g. someone acting on the president's orders), says something with the gist of "Do this, or get fired". What are the next steps that I can take that won't get me fired, but also count as fighting back?
Comply but leak the truth to the media. Comply in a maximally obstructive way. Comply just enough to not get fired but not as much as someone who may be more inclined to please their boss. Enlist other opposition and find ways to multiply your obstructive compliance into other departments. There's tons of "how-to" guides on how to maliciously comply with work demands without getting fired.
It's hard to "maliciously comply" or be obstructive to someone giving you 55% less budget. They just... give you less money. That's it.
I guess you could slow down the firing process for a bit? That would be a minor obstruction for a short period of time. Then what?
Anyways, "how-to" guides on malicious compliance probably don't tackle situations where an external team, acting on behalf of the president, come into your workplace with unparalleled authority to do whatever they please.
Re: NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy
#50One thing I don't understand is people resigning on principles. If something bad is happening to an organization that I hold a significant amount of clout and power in, I'm not just going to leave and hand the reigns to someone on 'their side' -- I'm going to stay and fight and try to make whatever impact I can. So many people are just leaving...instead of fighting. Which seems like it's going to have the effect of j…
It's certainly going to test your moral fortitude but at some point I think this is a bit like telling a victim of domestic violence to stick it out.
the victim of domestic violence sticking it out doesn't help anyone else.
Except maybe the children -- which I could see there are some situations where not sticking it out could be worse for everyone.
People look at domestic violence victims and always say "well why didn't they just leave?" as if leaving is the perfect solution -- but it rarely is. There are other factors. Income. Children.
If there were a perfect societal safety net for these people, then maybe "just leave" is always the best solution. But there is not, and "just leave" often doesn't quite work out.