Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Gitlab: don't discuss politics at work

theregister.co.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 1001 posts

Re: Gitlab: don't discuss politics at work

#71

Post by rustyconover »

jswizzy wrote: post #3

When was it ever okay to discuss politics at work?

In my mind it has always been ok to talk about your politics as long as you're respectful and you respect the differences of people who disagree.

To make it against whatever workplace "rules" there are seems overbearing and thought-controlling. Our personal beliefs and political experiences make up a lot of who we are, our individual perspective on the world and somewhat how we think.

How can you hold your organization to socially responsible policies and actions if you can't discuss what should be socially acceptable? Political beliefs form the ideas of what is the scope of the organization's responsibility.

In my recent experiences at a hedge fund and a very large investment bank, politics were discussed pretty openly in both environments (alas this was only in NYC). I found the discussions worthwhile and informative as it helped me understand my own beliefs more.

It's unwise to hold beliefs that you never have to justify. You should put in the intellectual work so that you can articulate and argue your own politics it will make sure your beliefs are well founded.

Re: Gitlab: don't discuss politics at work

#72

Post by sonotathrowaway »

baalimago wrote: post #13

Reminds me of Peter Handke's recent Nobel prize in literature, where the committee were/are heavily criticized for judging only by literature, and not by Handke's political viewpoints. Maybe politics doesn't need to be involved in every single part of society, only the political aspects of it.

Can you expound upon which aspects of society are political and which are nonpolitical? The Supreme Court is currently considering whether or not companies can discriminate on sexual orientation, just as it had done for race and religion. What do you say to such people whose identities are inherently political?

Re: Gitlab: don't discuss politics at work

#73

Post by onion2k »

malvosenior wrote: post #10

I'm sure everyone who has to earn a living to support their family will appreciate this move. Nothing is worse than politics at work, where you may lose your paycheck if you don't align with the correct factions.

While everyone does have to earn a living and it's fair to think that's very important, if you believe your employer is doing something wrong and yet don't either speak up or look for a new job you're effectively condoning your employers actions. That isn't particularly admirable and your peers would be right to tell you as much.

Re: Gitlab: don't discuss politics at work

#74

Post by Kenji »

dang wrote: post #31
dvt wrote: post #21

GitLab are being hypocritical[1][2]. Let's not pretend the "women in tech" and LGBT movements aren't political. Frankly, I think more women in tech and LGBT representation are probably good things, but GitLab is being profoundly disingenuous with their guidelines. To clarify my point: if you open the gates to the marketplace of ideas, make sure it's an actual marketplace . [1] https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2018/10/08…

Those are great questions. But please omit the flamebait. (Edit: dvt kindly took the flamebait out—see below.) If flames take over, only the people who enjoy flaming will remain in the debate. That's a strict loss for thread quality, which is one reason for the guideline I asked everyone to remember above: " Comments should get more thoughtful and substantive, not less, as a topic gets more divisive. " https://news.y…

Oh no, someone dares to question the left-authoritarian talking points. Better shut that discussion down.

Re: Gitlab: don't discuss politics at work

#75

Post by ashelmire »

malvosenior wrote: post #23
sokoloff wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whenever you have reasonable adults working together? I think I’ve, on appropriate occasion, discussed politics with friends and colleagues at every workplace I’ve ever been at. [Edit: some senior leadership] openly supports the DNC and has commented to that effect at town halls. To pretend that people are apolitical or to ban all political discussions because some people can’t seem to handle disagreements in a profe…

Would you feel the same way if your current CEO openly supported the RNC?

Wouldn't you want to know if you were indirectly lining the RNC coffers?

Re: Gitlab: don't discuss politics at work

#76

Post by Hamuko »

milesward wrote: post #29

Human rights aren't politics, they're non-negotiable.

Human rights are massively political. Saying anything else is either ignorant or naive.

Soviet bloc countries didn't vote for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights because of the right of citizens to leave their countries. And let's not get into the human rights of Uyghurs and the worldwide approval/disapproval to China's re-education camps.

Re: Gitlab: don't discuss politics at work

#78

Post by jmchuster »

JDiculous wrote: post #50
malvosenior wrote: post #10

I'm sure everyone who has to earn a living to support their family will appreciate this move. Nothing is worse than politics at work, where you may lose your paycheck if you don't align with the correct factions.

The problem isn't the discussion of politics, it's the fact that that would even matter or influence your job in any negative way.

I would normally consider that part of the human condition, not a problem that a company needs to solve. Trying to minimize the negative impact of it (like they are doing) seems about all they can do.

Re: Gitlab: don't discuss politics at work

#79

Post by jlawson »

milesward wrote: post #29

Human rights aren't politics, they're non-negotiable.

Right, and when different human rights conflict, then we resolve the conflict through a political process.

Simple example: Religious freedom/freedom of speech and gay rights. So should the Christian baker be _forced_ to make a cake with words explicitly against his religious beliefs? Which human rights come first here?

Re: Gitlab: don't discuss politics at work

#80

Post by phjesusthatguy3 »

oneepic wrote: post #34

O/T: the "Blood Money" part of the article title is why I hate news media in general. Sensationalizing, editorializing headlines marked as "news" and not just opinion.

This is The Register. Their headlines are fairly hyperbolic and/or tongue-in-cheek (or both) about everything.
Post reply on HN