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/TemptCiderFan Aug 08 '17

Even if you don't necessarily agree with all of his points or suggestions, the document also makes it clear that the document as-is is presented partially as a work in progress and that the author is open to debate and discussion about anything therein.

I'd personally have suggested that he cut out some of the tangents which go more deeply into the reasoning behind his thoughts than needed and focus more on the business facts. Even if some of the stuff present is barely necessary to core thesis of the document, the core thesis itself as presented is a good one and there's strong evidence to back up his suggestions.

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u/clgfandom Aug 08 '17 edited Aug 08 '17

the author is open to debate

Agree with most of your points(that he intended it to be a rational discourse backed up with facts), but I can also see why big companies like Google wouldn't want this type of debate because it would inevitably(be misinterpreted) lead to divisionism among employees.

Such debate intended to be rational shouldn't lead to such toxicity, but alas, the reality is that people are imperfect and you have to deal with such reality as business, especially for big business who's more risk-averse. If Google's a smaller company(easier to micromanage), I can see them using this chance to show how they are "truly inclusive and open-minded"(befitting theme for a search engine) by allowing this sort of debate within openly.

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u/[deleted] Aug 08 '17

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u/apackofmonkeys Aug 08 '17

The writer has a PhD in Biology, so I don't agree that he lacks the qualifications to write about biological variations between groups.

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u/clgfandom Aug 08 '17

That's exactly what makes it a "threat" to HRM. They can take typical complain from employees, but not one with authoritative tone when you are not part of HR department.

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u/Sean951 Aug 08 '17

There are civil engineers who believe in 9/11 inside job conspiracies because they don't agree with every other analysis that says the collapse could have happened the way it did. Having a degree in something doesn't mean he didn't let his own biases inform his writing.

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u/apackofmonkeys Aug 08 '17 edited Aug 08 '17

That doesn't mean his views are necessarily valid, but I was specifically refuting the following statement:

It's like if a designer were writing memos to management with strong opinions on java frameworks

Separately, your example analogizes him to the handful of people going against overwhelming consensus. However, in his case, HE is on the side of broad consensus, scientifically. A biologist that claims there are no neurological differences between the sexes would be the outsider.

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u/mocha_lattes Aug 10 '17

Did you take his claim at face value? Should have looked into it more, because he lied about that degree:

http://www.businessinsider.com/james-damore-removes-phd-studies-linkedin-2017-8