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Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

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Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#81

In a well known big tech company (FAANG), I have seen many many examples of a whole layer of management from the same caste. So like under one director, every senior manager will have been from the same part of India. Sometimes this will extend to another layer of managers below them. Behind the scenes, there is a strong communication network that is often not caught or shown in org charts. This will include high ran…

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Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#82
post #23
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of stuff mentioned in the article is true. I would even go ahead (at peril being downvoted by Indian patriots) that India is a deeply racist country. My parents, educated upper middle class working folks use to 'educate' me to not get married outside our caste and such. Caste system is deeply rooted in India and you can pretty much read about it from lots of sources online. India has a lot of right provisions (…

Okay so curious, I have a South Indian neighbor who is Muslim. I assume Muslims are just a different thing outside of the caste system, despite people saying caste is not rooted in Hinduism? (I’m not saying it is, just curious how an Indian might view their Muslim neighbors).

My Muslim grandfather grew up in what is now Indian state of Karnataka (Gulbarga). When he would touch metal utensils of neighboring high caste family, they would curse at him and wash them, so he would do it to wind them up every so often.

Although it's not always that straightfoward. In Gujarat, Muslims used to be able to "cancel" caste pollution - that is, if you touched a Dalit and then touched a Muslim you wouldn't have to purify yourself.

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#83

as a complete outsider to the caste system, say i was american-born or otherwise "white-washed". would I still be subject to this system?

Interesting question. In other words, is the Indian caste system effectively simple racism that follows a person regardless of whether they were raised in that culture, or is there a more subtle cultural undertone.

An analogy might be black Brits getting discriminated by Jim Crow laws in the old American South. That was simple racism based on skin color and it didn't matter if you were American or not.

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#84
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's definitely possible that there were other factors in play. I hope you see the danger or irony of automatically assuming that the Japanese interviewer rejected you because of their racial bias.

I hope you see the danger or irony of stigmatizing the discussion of bias.

You threw a racism uno card by asserting that the Japanese guy was racist with zero proof. You’re stereotyping people as much as you accuse others of.

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#85
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The comment was about not allowing them in the interviewing process.

If interviewing is considered a normal job function, isn't not allowing certain people to interview certain people a violation of EEO laws by discriminating based on a protected class(national origin)? Unless you have some specific knowledge that an employee just can't handle people of nationality X, I would be very hesitant to institute OP's advice, at least in the US.

Probably not?

I know plenty of tech companies that make sure female applicants get interviewed by at least one female engineer during the hiring process. They have a good faith belief this reduces discrimination rather than increasing it.

Of course, it could stray into discriminatory territory if you're doing something dumb - like sending all minority applicants to a hardass interviewer who rejects everyone; or giving certain employees a burdensome number of interviews on the basis of their race, at the cost of their other duties. But you should already be on top of issues like that anyway.

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#86
post #35
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sorry, but can you please elaborate a bit more on Greeks and Turks? I happen to be Greek and have worked with 2 Turkish colleagues without any issues. On top of that, during my many travels across Europe, Turks (along with other Balkan nationalities) are by far the most welcoming people I meet once they learn that I come from Greece and I befriended a few of them. Do you have any different experiences to share?

I’m under the impression some people are still upset over Cyprus. Edit: corrected cypress misspelling. Thanks repliers!

Cyprus and it always depends how far back you want to go to determine the 'cause' of grievances.

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#87
post #51

It's crazy to me to see people saying "this doesn't exist because I've never seen it". Here's a good rule to live by: privilege is invisible to those who have it. Just think about that. I'm not Indian so can't speak to that experience but discrimination masquerading as "culture fit" is just as rampant in Silicon Valley as it is in the rest of the US. This includes racism, ageism, misogyny and classism. If you don't t…

> There is a tendency in the West to view all minorities as somehow being the same.

Is there? While my experience comes from living in a cosmopolitan border town, it is hard to imagine anyone seriously lumping Asians in with Africans, short of the outright rascists raging against "immigrants"

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#88
post #34

The reason for my current user name here at hn was this exact form of racism. It is the first post I made when I created this throwaway. I was assured that my experience was unique and not widespread. I am both sad and happy to see this, sad because it exists, happy because it is getting some attention here at HN. I would like to take this opportunity to point out that everyone of us needs to be vigilant about this t…

I'm sorry, but can you please elaborate a bit more on Greeks and Turks? I happen to be Greek and have worked with 2 Turkish colleagues without any issues. On top of that, during my many travels across Europe, Turks (along with other Balkan nationalities) are by far the most welcoming people I meet once they learn that I come from Greece and I befriended a few of them. Do you have any different experiences to share?

NSFW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzL_MXgc24E

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#89
> One day, Siddhant’s older son shared a story from his own life. A teacher had asked a group of kids, who were all of Indian descent, about their family backgrounds. One by one, the kids shouted out their religion, region, and caste.

How can a school teacher ask kids about religion and caste? How does this not contribute to discrimination based on ?

Re: Trapped in Silicon Valley’s hidden caste system

#90
post #51

It's crazy to me to see people saying "this doesn't exist because I've never seen it". Here's a good rule to live by: privilege is invisible to those who have it. Just think about that. I'm not Indian so can't speak to that experience but discrimination masquerading as "culture fit" is just as rampant in Silicon Valley as it is in the rest of the US. This includes racism, ageism, misogyny and classism. If you don't t…

> This includes racism, ageism, misogyny and classism. If you don't think MIT/Stanford grads in their mid 20s at Big Tech companies have more doors open to them you're crazy.

Of course they have more doors open to them. They went to a good school and worked at a well known company.

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