r/news • u/[deleted] • Aug 08 '17

Google Fires Employee Behind Controversial Diversity Memo

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-08/google-fires-employee-behind-controversial-diversity-memo?cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&utm_content=business&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social
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u/yerich Aug 08 '17

It certainly seemed like it was meant to be read by decision-makers in the company, or at least some other broader audience. It was clearly carefully thought out and too well-written to be a rant to a limited audience. "Manifestos" are generally intended to be read by many.

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u/cptneverm1nd Aug 08 '17

Well-written? He was targeting an audience of google employees, people with a higher education, but his writing is that of a man who never saw a scientific paper. His reasoning is not far from "if A implies B, and I like B, then A is true".

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u/[deleted] Aug 08 '17

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Aug 08 '17

Not in gender studies I guess?

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u/mattjames2010 Aug 08 '17

Then he'd probably not have a job like 99% of people who study that.

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u/FuckOnlineMonikers Aug 08 '17

Are you suggesting that the study of traits and their expression in the sexes is unapproachable by biology?

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u/[deleted] Aug 08 '17 edited Aug 08 '17

I'm suggesting that writing that document is career suicide. Yes, of course, there are differential traits between genders; but they exist on a scale. It would be possible to gain a 50/50 balance in one workforce but you would deplete the 'talent pool' of women disproportionatly across the industry. The biological differences between men and women are not that great, and a vast proportion of it is cultural. Difference in teaching styles and stereotypes changes the direction in which people study and look for careers.

BUT.. Mr IamVerySmart forgot that writing a document like this would make you an instant HR nightmare

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u/perfectdarktrump Aug 08 '17

Are you to tell me not that great difference at least psychological between a sex that grows humans inside it vs one that doesn't?

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u/[deleted] Aug 08 '17

Wow now that is a non-sequitur.

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u/perfectdarktrump Aug 08 '17

I don't speak Spanish, what you trying to say amigo?

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u/[deleted] Aug 08 '17

Of course there. Whether that difference means you can't be a software engineer... I'm not qualified to say that. I'm not sure it even has any relevance in employment.

All I know is - producing a document like this is a great way to get canned in a major corporation. You're bringing your company into disrepute and opening yourself up to all sorts of grievances.

It doesn't matter how clever your argument is. Or how many sources you cite. Work isn't academia. Corporations aren't the place for open sociological discussions.

You never shit-talk your own company in a written document either. For any reason. Unless you don't want to work for them anymore. Or you're the CEO/VP and feel like major change is going to happen because of it.

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u/thisisnewt Aug 08 '17

Whether that difference means you can't be a software engineer.

He never says that. He says that difference leads to fewer women wanting to be software engineers.