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Reddit Welcomes Michael Seibel to Board of Directors

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Re: Reddit Welcomes Michael Seibel to Board of Directors

#61

Post by whymauri »

Digory wrote: post #55
adewinter wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just because Ohanian asked doesn't mean they had to do it. One can therefore conclude that they still chose a suitable candidate and would have chosen a differently colored candidate could they not find a suitable black candidate.

Reddit publicly committed to selecting a director based on race.[0] Hiring and firing in the US based on race is typically unlawful, even if the candidate is qualified. You can’t use race as a qualification. It’s a challenge to the laws, and I assume Reddit(or Conde Nast) wants to raise it. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&...

Perhaps I am naive, but I'm going to guess that whoever Reddit's counsel is was briefly cleared on this.

Re: Reddit Welcomes Michael Seibel to Board of Directors

#64

Post by dang »

hourislate wrote: post #18

This seems like a demotion. Nothing to celebrate. Reddit is cesspool of bots, disinformation. I find 4chan more civil and interesting. This gentleman would have been better off turning them down.

Come now. Reddit is Reddit. This reminds me of Paul McCartney's response to people who don't like the White Album. "It's the Beatles fucking White Album".

Re: Reddit Welcomes Michael Seibel to Board of Directors

#65

Post by austincheney »

dvtrn wrote: post #45
austincheney wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Reddit is a lot more open and puts a higher value on free speech I disagree in the strongest possible terms. So much of Reddit is a populist echo chamber, which is the opposite of free speech.

Is this a problem with Reddit the company or the subreddits you are completely free to browse or not browse and participate in?

I was frequenting the r/programming and r/javascript subreddits, which are both huge in terms of population. I remember the JavaScript subreddit bring much less of an echo chamber but it also rarely had interesting submissions comparative.

Yes, the echo chamber problem could have been addressed by an army of aggressive moderators, but that was absent. The stupidity on the site was present because the conventions of the site encouraged it. Sometimes the moderators are actively working to grow the echo chamber, such as r/thedonald.

At any rate I don’t miss it.

Re: Reddit Welcomes Michael Seibel to Board of Directors

#66

Post by dang »

jdoliner wrote: post #56
jedieaston wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, HN isn’t really relevant as an asset to ycombinator besides a advertising asset, right? It has a couple million monthly users, maybe 1 new feature a year, and runs on a single core. It’s more of a demonstration of Arc than anything, right?

HN is an asset to YC because the partners are degenerate HN junkies like the rest of us on here, many are worse. More seriously it helps a lot with YC recruitment and is actually how they run a lot of YC. It also allows for YC company job listings as others have mentioned. I don't think it's been written in Arc for a while.

Arc in the past, Arc in the present, Arc forever.

Re: Reddit Welcomes Michael Seibel to Board of Directors

#67

Post by rat87 »

nisuni wrote: post #13

I am sorry for him. I know as a fact that he’s brilliant and fully deserves the position, but given the circumstances (Ohanian resigning and calling for someone black to replace him) he will always have to live with people having the reasonable doubt that he didn’t arrive there for merit alone.

I don't see how it's in any way or form reasonable.

Of course a lot of jerks and trolls will have unreasonable and frequently racist assumptions that he "wasn't the most qualified" and that sucks

Re: Reddit Welcomes Michael Seibel to Board of Directors

#68

Post by Digory »

whymauri wrote: post #61
Digory wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reddit publicly committed to selecting a director based on race.[0] Hiring and firing in the US based on race is typically unlawful, even if the candidate is qualified. You can’t use race as a qualification. It’s a challenge to the laws, and I assume Reddit(or Conde Nast) wants to raise it. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&...

Perhaps I am naive, but I'm going to guess that whoever Reddit's counsel is was briefly cleared on this.

Absolutely. It’s a bet. Heads, it works. Tails, Condé Nast becomes known for litigation against the Trump DOJ, fighting against systemic racism.

For the lawyers, it beats mopping up Bon Appetit’s editor in brownface.

Re: Reddit Welcomes Michael Seibel to Board of Directors

#69

Post by barry-cotter »

Digory wrote: post #55
adewinter wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just because Ohanian asked doesn't mean they had to do it. One can therefore conclude that they still chose a suitable candidate and would have chosen a differently colored candidate could they not find a suitable black candidate.

Reddit publicly committed to selecting a director based on race.[0] Hiring and firing in the US based on race is typically unlawful, even if the candidate is qualified. You can’t use race as a qualification. It’s a challenge to the laws, and I assume Reddit(or Conde Nast) wants to raise it. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&...

The fact that you can write “We are an equal opportunity affirmative action employer.” and not get sued gives the lie to this. The plain reading of the law and how it is interpreted and enforced are at odds.

Re: Reddit Welcomes Michael Seibel to Board of Directors

#70

Post by ALittleLight »

casefields wrote: post #39
digitaltrees wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anyone that remotely thinks that is an idiot. Michael is a fucking force of nature and one of the most impressive people you will ever meet. Seriously, if that thought ever comes up in your presence attack it head on because the person expressing it needs a big fucking gut check. Honestly, even you saying this is BS.

99% of the world, and 99.999% of reddit, has no clue who he is. Nor do they know anyone that has first hand knowledge of working with him. All they'll know is the the way the previous guy stepped down, and what he requested. I understand it's a terrible position to be put in.

I think only a small percent amount of reddit and a smaller percent of the world will know the way Ohanian stepped down or this guy stepped in.

For most people it will be "I'm on the board of reddit." "Oh, cool."

For people who think it was because of skin color, they may think less of him or of reddit, but presumably he made that choice going in and is okay with the costs and benefits. I have a rare (and not at all serious) medical condition. If reddit said they were selecting board members only with this condition I would happily apply and take the position even if everyone would say I only got it because of my condition and even if that were true. The cost is people would think I benefited from luck or circumstance and the reward is being able to meaningfully influence a major website and money. Hardly seems like a terrible trade to me.

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