Google is pro-gestapo now? They have fallen so far from "Don't be evil."
Not just them, all BigTech/GAFAM are
Google is stifling anti-ICE speech in the workplace
41–50 of 55 posts
Re: Google is stifling anti-ICE speech in the workplace
#42Excellent! A company is a place to work, not do politics. I've left jobs due to overly woke colleagues who made every single meeting into a crusade against white men. In my current company, political discussion is forbidden, and I am very happy about that. People who love politics should go into politics, and leave their jobs. Plenty of public sector organizations who only talk politics for them, and peace of mind fo…
And you'd be happily working at IBM building "resource management" software and hardware for the Nazis because "what they do with this software is not your responsibility". It ain't so black-and-white, and people with this kind of mentality are what enable the atrocities we've seen in the past and are seeing today.
"It ain't so black-and-white" - uses the word Nazi to describe the entirety of the Immigration & Customs Enforcement agency.
Re: Google is stifling anti-ICE speech in the workplace
#43It's funny -- about 8 years ago I remember this exact same issue came up, but the other way around. There was this guy, James Damore, basically a republican who said the diversity program was grievance politics or whatever, sent out a memo to hundreds of other employees, created a kerfuffle, ultimately was fired. He sued and retracted. Anyways back then I felt some sympathy for the guy, talking politics at work, beca…
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The largest cancelling brigade in the history of cancel culture was done by the right after the Charlie Kirk shooting, where more than 600 people were doxxed and lost their jobs for "social media posts that celebrated Kirk's assassination or were seen as disparaging of his legacy". [1]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reprisals_against_commentators...
Re: Google is stifling anti-ICE speech in the workplace
#44Earlier quoted context omitted.
And you'd be happily working at IBM building "resource management" software and hardware for the Nazis because "what they do with this software is not your responsibility". It ain't so black-and-white, and people with this kind of mentality are what enable the atrocities we've seen in the past and are seeing today.
"It ain't so black-and-white" - uses the word Nazi to describe the entirety of the Immigration & Customs Enforcement agency.
I think they were referring to the actual Nazis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_and_the_Holocaust
Re: Google is stifling anti-ICE speech in the workplace
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
Pretty much all the big tech companies allow this. It's just that they are pro-ICE and pro-current administration in the workplace speech. Their CEOs have already bent the knee, made the tens of millions to half billions in donations to the Trump family, and expect everyone under them not to undermine their sycophancy. It's a real problem with the tech industry. Repeating IBM's WWII mistakes. https://en.wikipedia.org…
Most US companies are run like tiny little fascist dictatorships, which is a great training ground for the real thing. Contrast eg Norway, where businesses operate inside of a formal 3-way agreement (Trepartssamarbeidet) between the government, employers associations, and trade unions. It's going to take probably a few rounds of fascism and many millions dead before Americans widely decide to change the fundamental n…
Capitalist companies are just the modern day evolution of feudal lords with the mandate of maximum value extraction with zero care for the impacts on your fiefdom/market, the tendency to drift to rent seeking, etc.
Instead of Normans organizing a raiding party for lands, you have Normans renamed as Capitalists organizing a raiding party for a target market, just now in the modern world they also get to offload the burdens of population governance, risk, infrastructure, housing, healthcare, retirement security, training, and social stability.
The Capitalists even named their raiding party using the military term 'Company' and organize its power structure in the same militaristic way, with the leader accountable to them and not the people under/the workers.
Re: Google is stifling anti-ICE speech in the workplace
#46> “Most folks are afraid to discuss anything remotely political at work.” There are plenty of other places to talk politics, religion, or share personal opinions. Work is best kept for work.
> There are plenty of other places to talk politics, religion, or share personal opinions. Work is best kept for work.
We could all use a bit more compartmentalization. This idea of "bring your whole self everywhere" is just a recipe for conflict and dysfunction. No two people are that compatible, let alone N people in a group.
Work should be about work, and work topics (which includes things like working conditions an unionization). Maybe you have a work friend you talk politics too, but that's a little non-work bubble at work. That's definitely not:
> hundreds of Google workers, outraged by the federal government’s mass deportation campaign...went public with a call for their leadership to cut ties with ICE. The employees are also demanding that Google acknowledge the violence, hold a town hall on the topic, and enact policy to protect vulnerable members of its workforce, including contractors and cafeteria and data center workers This week, the number of supporters has passed 1,200...
Work should also mind it's own business about non-work. If you're an activist on X, Y, or Z, it's none of your boss's business. If people are mad at you on twitter for saying A, B, or C, your boss shouldn't fire you for it (even if the mob demands appeasement). Employees should also not be nosy about what their coworkers think or do outside or work, if they're not mature enough to handle what they find out professionally (e.g. feeling the mere presence or someone who thinks X, Y, or Z creates a hostile environment, even if they never express or act on those thoughts).
And even if you're outside of work, if you're in a club about model airplanes (or instance), stick to model airplanes, etc. Don't bring up the latest outrage of the Bush or Obama administration.
Re: Google is stifling anti-ICE speech in the workplace
#47Earlier quoted context omitted.
Most US companies are run like tiny little fascist dictatorships, which is a great training ground for the real thing. Contrast eg Norway, where businesses operate inside of a formal 3-way agreement (Trepartssamarbeidet) between the government, employers associations, and trade unions. It's going to take probably a few rounds of fascism and many millions dead before Americans widely decide to change the fundamental n…
Capitalist companies are just the modern day evolution of feudal lords with the mandate of maximum value extraction with zero care for the impacts on your fiefdom/market, the tendency to drift to rent seeking, etc. Instead of Normans organizing a raiding party for lands, you have Normans renamed as Capitalists organizing a raiding party for a target market, just now in the modern world they also get to offload the bu…
> Capitalist companies are just the modern day evolution of feudal lords with the mandate of maximum value extraction with zero care for the impacts on your fiefdom/market, the tendency to drift to rent seeking, etc.
Actually, I'd argue capitalist companies are often worse, because at least feudal lord has more interest in ensuring the long-term viability of their fief. In capitalism its not uncommon for some investor to come in, wreck the place's long-term viability for short-term profit, then sell before the other shoe drops.
Re: Google is stifling anti-ICE speech in the workplace
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
Pretty much all the big tech companies allow this. It's just that they are pro-ICE and pro-current administration in the workplace speech. Their CEOs have already bent the knee, made the tens of millions to half billions in donations to the Trump family, and expect everyone under them not to undermine their sycophancy. It's a real problem with the tech industry. Repeating IBM's WWII mistakes. https://en.wikipedia.org…
Most US companies are run like tiny little fascist dictatorships, which is a great training ground for the real thing. Contrast eg Norway, where businesses operate inside of a formal 3-way agreement (Trepartssamarbeidet) between the government, employers associations, and trade unions. It's going to take probably a few rounds of fascism and many millions dead before Americans widely decide to change the fundamental n…
> Contrast eg Norway, where businesses operate inside of a formal 3-way agreement (Trepartssamarbeidet) between the government, employers associations, and trade unions.
> It's going to take probably a few rounds of fascism and many millions dead before Americans widely decide to change the fundamental nature of business.
I don't agree. I think what's needed is to break the delusion that every American is a capitalist-lord-in-waiting, so they delusionally think and vote in ways that harm their interests (see, software engineers excited about AI and advocating for its adoption).
Also cut down the noise. The "culture wars" (from both sides) are very effective at distracting people from more fundamental issues. I really think one party needs to drop all that, and focus narrowly on representing the common people as workers.
Re: Google is stifling anti-ICE speech in the workplace
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
"It ain't so black-and-white" - uses the word Nazi to describe the entirety of the Immigration & Customs Enforcement agency.
I think they were referring to the actual Nazis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_and_the_Holocaust
wtf I had no idea IBM was that old.
Re: Google is stifling anti-ICE speech in the workplace
#50> “Most folks are afraid to discuss anything remotely political at work.” There are plenty of other places to talk politics, religion, or share personal opinions. Work is best kept for work.
Why did the Google CEO attend the Trump inauguration then? Isn't that politics?
The inauguration is the post-politics part, it should be okay for anyone to attend.
Of course, with this president any public appearance is more like a political rally and the tech CEOs were there to kiss the ring.