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Changes at Basecamp

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Re: Changes at Basecamp

#81

Post by drewbug01 »

Issues that directly impact me and mine at my workplace are considered “political” by those of more conservative mindsets.

That’s the really ugly flip side of this, and I know it’s been said elsewhere but: conservative politics in the US make some people’s entire existence political, full stop.

So you do a lot more than just cut out “distracting” conversations this way. You uninvited certain people entirely, and in doing so have taken a hell of a stance on that persons inherent worth.

You can’t disconnect this from the current US political situation. They’re joined at the hip.

Re: Changes at Basecamp

#83

Post by jessaustin »

eplanit wrote: post #72

So refreshing. Yes, focus on the business (because it is, after all, a business). The job people are hired for is not politics or activism. Also glad to see the weird new-age peer review crap and "soft" stuff eliminated, too. A lot of that is accumulated trendiness from the 90s onward. I love the new policy and attitude, as its emphasis is more about the professional than the personality.

...accumulated trendiness from the 90s onward.

If these have existed for 30 years they are scarcely "trendy".

Re: Changes at Basecamp

#84

Post by baggy_trough »

mattdeboard wrote: post #79
stephsmithio wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I hear the, "But anything could be viewed as societal and political discussion", it's kind of a straw man argument. We all know what types of discourse Jason and David are referring to and they augmented their request with, "But if you make a mistake, it's not the end of the world. Someone will gently remind you of the etiquette, and we'll move on. This isn't some zero-tolerance, max-consequences new policy." F…

I actually do not know what types of discourse they're referring to. Can you specify?

Presumably the more toxic and censorious forms of social justice activism.

Re: Changes at Basecamp

#85

Post by DiNovi »

> You shouldn't have to wonder if staying out of it means you're complicit

This is a very privileged stance. Stopping dialogue because it makes people queezy just means stopping change from taking hold at their company.

One of their 10x engineers is a nazi and got mad, I will bet $10 dollars

Re: Changes at Basecamp

#86

Post by mattdeboard »

baggy_trough wrote: post #84
mattdeboard wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually do not know what types of discourse they're referring to. Can you specify?

Presumably the more toxic and censorious forms of social justice activism.

Not sure I share the frame of reference I get the impression you're assuming we have in common. What do you mean?

Re: Changes at Basecamp

#87

Post by DiNovi »

stephsmithio wrote: post #74
paxys wrote: post #27

Can there ever be a non-work related conversation between employees that is not a "societal and political discussion"? In the past week I have spoken to coworkers about high housing costs (bunch of us are testing the market right now), property taxes, EV rebates, weed legalization, homeless/drug use problem on the streets. All of this is apparently a fireable offense at Basecamp? People are going to say "obviously st…

While I hear the, "But anything could be viewed as societal and political discussion", it's kind of a straw man argument. We all know what types of discourse Jason and David are referring to and they augmented their request with, "But if you make a mistake, it's not the end of the world. Someone will gently remind you of the etiquette, and we'll move on. This isn't some zero-tolerance, max-consequences new policy." F…

Do we "all know" what they're talking about? it sounds like they don't even know. What they want is not to have to deal with society while making products for society. This will lead to a employee base of purely wealthy white guys, which is clearly what they want

Re: Changes at Basecamp

#88

Post by spondyl »

Does this mean that all workers and contractors will be treated the same, and given free range data access, regardless of the politics of their home country (ie China or Russia)?

This seems like one area that is usually unavoidable in tech companies.

Re: Changes at Basecamp

#89

Post by DiNovi »

baggy_trough wrote: post #84
mattdeboard wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually do not know what types of discourse they're referring to. Can you specify?

Presumably the more toxic and censorious forms of social justice activism.

Ahh, love to ban "censorious" social justice activism.

Re: Changes at Basecamp

#90

Post by beckman466 »

rajin444 wrote: post #32
sktrdie wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So? We are humans. We get distracted by a whole bunch of things that happen to us daily because, well, we're emotional creatures. When you are somewhere most of the day you end up being distracted by many other things than "just work". If you cut the politics then something else will keep our primordial animal minds busy. A place where you have to only "be about work" is impossible to achieve. Even sweatshops in Bang…

> If you cut the politics then something else will keep our primordial animal minds busy. I think it's fairly easy to make the argument that our minds are especially tuned to tribalism. Not only that, but what comes out of discussions focused on political/social tribalism is especially toxic. It's one thing to have a little banter about football teams, it's another when people are convinced their lives are at stake.

> it's another when people are convinced their lives are at stake.

huh? their lives (and livelihoods) sometimes are at stake...

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