Google are not unionized at all are they? Seems like they keep trying to pull stuff like this, but its really hard to do without proper organization and representatives.
I'm surprised this kind of speech was tolerated in the first place. Tbh even if it was, I'd do the devil and speak up in a way where I'm identifiable #futurecareerprospects
I admire the courage of the people that do it anyway though.
Google: "Google CEO Sundar Picchai has been a fixture at the White House, attending parties and events. He oversaw Google’s $22 million donation to the White House ballroom and its $1 million donation to Trump’s inaugural fund. Brin, meanwhile, has become a Trump supporter."
It's funny -- about 8 years ago I remember this exact same issue came up, but the other way around. There was this guy, James Damore, basically a republican who said the diversity program was grievance politics or whatever, sent out a memo to hundreds of other employees, created a kerfuffle, ultimately was fired. He sued and retracted.
Anyways back then I felt some sympathy for the guy, talking politics at work, because as far as I could tell he was a good-faith free-speech proponent. I even wrote a blog post about it and shared it on this site.
However now seeing how much the tables have turned, and how little that cultural swing had to do with free speech, I feel embarrassed about my past self. It's incredibly clear to me that at most a small % of those "free speech" advocates are genuine, because I never see them speak up for the other side (like I did).
Asking to leave a federal contract? Wouldn't that have downstream consequences with future potential federal contacts? If I were the customer I wouldn't give them my business of they pulled out of a federal contract because of politics
Excellent! A company is a place to work, not do politics. I've left jobs due to overly woke colleagues who made every single meeting into a crusade against white men.
In my current company, political discussion is forbidden, and I am very happy about that.
People who love politics should go into politics, and leave their jobs. Plenty of public sector organizations who only talk politics for them, and peace of mind for me at a company.
> People who love politics should go into politics, and leave their jobs.
"If you love talking about professional sports you should leave your job and play professional sports." See how genius that sounds? People can be interested in- or passionate about things and not do it as a day job.
You can advocate for a politics-free workplace. Or a distractions-free workplace. But you have to realize that from its early days Google was supposed to be less a job and more a lifestyle. Partly because it attracted talent, mostly because it would keep people in the office slinging code. You can't push developers to spend 14 hours a day in the cube (or beanbag chair or whatever) and also expect them to remain hermetically sealed from the outside world.
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[ 6.2 ms ] story [ 65.0 ms ] threadThankfully, that veil has come down, showing it is business as usual.
There are plenty of other places to talk politics, religion, or share personal opinions. Work is best kept for work.
I admire the courage of the people that do it anyway though.
Google: "Google CEO Sundar Picchai has been a fixture at the White House, attending parties and events. He oversaw Google’s $22 million donation to the White House ballroom and its $1 million donation to Trump’s inaugural fund. Brin, meanwhile, has become a Trump supporter."
Anyways back then I felt some sympathy for the guy, talking politics at work, because as far as I could tell he was a good-faith free-speech proponent. I even wrote a blog post about it and shared it on this site.
However now seeing how much the tables have turned, and how little that cultural swing had to do with free speech, I feel embarrassed about my past self. It's incredibly clear to me that at most a small % of those "free speech" advocates are genuine, because I never see them speak up for the other side (like I did).
In my current company, political discussion is forbidden, and I am very happy about that.
People who love politics should go into politics, and leave their jobs. Plenty of public sector organizations who only talk politics for them, and peace of mind for me at a company.
"If you love talking about professional sports you should leave your job and play professional sports." See how genius that sounds? People can be interested in- or passionate about things and not do it as a day job.
You can advocate for a politics-free workplace. Or a distractions-free workplace. But you have to realize that from its early days Google was supposed to be less a job and more a lifestyle. Partly because it attracted talent, mostly because it would keep people in the office slinging code. You can't push developers to spend 14 hours a day in the cube (or beanbag chair or whatever) and also expect them to remain hermetically sealed from the outside world.