Google firing an engineer for standing up against the hive mind is about more than one minority opinion. If the web's gatekeeper doesn't believe in its own employees' right to free speech, how can we trust it with ours?
The silencing of legitimate opinion continues.
The latest victim of their self-styled ‘purge’ is Google engineer James Damore, the guy behind ‘Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber,’ a paper outlining his thoughts on Diversity and Inclusion in Silicon Valley.
In his 3,300 word, ten page manifesto he highlights the reasons for the gender gap in tech, current discriminatory practises used to correct that gap and Google’s left-leaning political bias.
CNN merrily reported with its own brand of bias:
'The google engineer who wrote a memo that argued women aren't biologically fit for tech jobs is out at the company'. He argued no such thing.
Personally, I don't agreed with every word of it but I consider it to be about as inflammatory as the cucumber in my Pimms.
Google engineer James Damore has been fired for his ‘Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber,’ a 3,300 word, ten page manifesto on the gender gap in tech. I don't agreed with every word of it, but I consider it to be about as inflammatory as the cucumber in my drink
'When it comes to diversity and inclusion, Google’s left bias has created a politically correct monoculture that maintains its hold by shaming dissenters into silence. This silence removed any checks against encroaching extremist and authoritarian policies’ he wrote.
But whether or not we agree with every one of his sentiments, many of us will identify with the above that James been brave enough to say.
Too many no longer have a voice because the list of things we cannot say is longer than the list of things we can. And too often it is voices from the right that are presented as wrong.
In his detailed analysis entitled ‘Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber’, he argues it is biological differences which play a role in the shortage of women in tech. And that Conservatives voices are silenced.
And, as if to underline his point, James Damore has just been fired.
Google CEO Sunder Pichai cut short his family holiday to deal with the fall out, making it sound like he just lost his father and mother in some kind of horrible accident.
Google CEO Sunder Pichai, seen in May, cut short his family holiday to deal with the fall out, making it sound like he just lost his father and mother in some kind of horrible accident
‘This has been a very difficult time’ Sunder began, in a memo to all staff, many of whom were left frothing at the mouth at James’ cautious memo which dared to point out women are a bit different than men.
‘Firstly, let me say that we strongly support the right of Googlers to express themselves, and much of what was in that memo is fair to debate, regardless of whether a majority of Googlers disagree with it,’
You see what he did there? He already rallied the mob behind him, and announced that his army was bigger than your army, a ‘vast majority think you are wrong’ and therefore you must be.
This is the same mentality as those who click on petitions, imagining numbers of clicks equate to some kind of moral barometer on life.
And by a cunning sleight of hand Pichai asserts Goggle supports the right of his staff to express ideas. (Despite firing them if ‘the majority’ believe they are wrong). He continues:
‘To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them biologically less suited to our work is offensive and not OK. It is contrary to our basic values and our Code of Conduct which expects each googler to do their utmost to create a workplace culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias and unlawful discrimination.’
I appreciate I am barely a woman and have my own bias, but no matter what angry women with armpit hair say, there are basic biological differences between men and women.
I am offering to stand naked in front of a mirror with Sundar to point these out in intimate detail if he will accept. My own testicular fortitude may be a barrier to his acceptance.
Even the personality differences set out by Damore are not highly contentious. He says women typically have more:
1) Interest in people rather than things, aesthetics rather than ideas
I give you - Kim Kardashian and the entire cult of the Kardash.
2) Extraversion expressed as gregariousness rather than assertiveness
As evidence, I present the International Women's March failing to achieve any tangible outcome other than a noisy walk in stupid hats
There are biological differences between men and women and the personality differences he sets out are not highly contentious - like extraversion expressed as gregariousness rather than assertiveness. As evidence, I present the Women's March failing to achieve any tangible outcome other than a noisy walk in stupid hats
and
3) Neuroticism (higher anxiety, lower stress tolerance).
Erm...Debbie Wasserman Schultz...anyone?
Despite the fact a lot of women can only hear white noise at this point, such is their rage, James is not being not being vindictive. He is saying women are more anxious by nature, and this explains why there are fewer women in high stress jobs. Essentially, we value enjoying life and laughter more than we value crying over a keyboard at work.
“We always ask why we don’t see women in top leadership positions, but we never ask why we see see so many men in these jobs. These positions often require long stressful hours that may not be worth it if you want a balanced and fulfilling life.
You see, he is not saying women can’t do it. Or shouldn’t do it.
Quite the opposite. He explicitly says he values diversity and does not deny sexism exists.
But, on balance, many women chose a different path because they recognise life is too spend long hours in solitary confinement programming on an Apple Mac.
Rather than acknowledge these fact of human nature, Google takes the extreme stance that ‘all differences in outcome are due to differential treatment’ and takes an extreme authoritarian approach to counter this bias, for example:
- Programs, mentoring and classes reserved for people with a certain gender or race
- Hiring practises which lower the bar for diversity candidates
- Reconsidering a set of people if it is not diverse enough, but not showing that same scrutiny in reverse direction.
- Special treatment for diversity candidates.
Damore says Google has created a culture where you are only psychologically safe if you are NOT offended, and approved-think is inherently left wing.
It is clear students on University and college campuses feel precisely this way. The left-wing brainwashing of our young people to prepare them for life inside these corporate echo chambers already institutionalised. Look at the difficulties faced by Ann Coulter and others even trying to get onto campus at Berkeley to speak.
We have institutionalised it in our universities, commercialised it in corporate life and reinforce it with social media police who seem have their necks craned towards the right.
The left are moralizing every issue, dismissing anyone that disagrees as immoral and harshly punishing those they see as villains to protect ‘victims’.
And 'approved-think' intersectionality enables victims to compete to see who truly is the most under of dogs. Does anyone know a good vet?
Importantly, the solutions advocated James Damore in his paper are eminently more sensible and are in danger of getting lost in the furore.
He has concrete suggestions to:
- Demoralise diversity: To stop making disagreement ‘immoral’, harshly punishing those we see as villains to protect ‘victims’.
- Stop alienating conservatives: to the point conservatives need to stay in the closet to avoid open hostility
- Be open about the science of human nature. Not all differences are due to discrimination.
- Stop restricting programs to certain genders or race. These discriminatory practises are unfair and divisive.
- Have an open and honest discussion about the costs and benefits of our diversity programs.
- Stop calling for empathy on diversity issues. Being emotionally unengaged helps us better reason about the facts.
- Stop making people so sensitive. Microaggression Training incorrectly and dangerously equates speech with violence and isn’t backed by evidence.
Many of our public institutions would do well to heed these solutions, from politicians to police, schools to parents. To me, this reads as a manifesto for a truly inclusive and diverse workforce where there is equitable access to opportunities for all. One grounded in facts and outcomes, not bias and feelings. It is one I would whole heartedly support
James Damore has been sacked for these views. And for the Google CEO to cancel his family holiday to deal with the fallout suggests the problems is much bigger than just one internal memo.
Damore hit a nerve. Perhaps the real problem is that it connects with the truth, a truth this authoritarian organisation is intent on silencing.
And if Google is intent on silencing dissent from approved group-think, then we should all be alarmed.
According to the latest comscore report (February 2017) an astonishing 64% of searches were powered by google, its nearest rival - Bing - languishing at 21.4%.
The events of the weekend make me worry about bigger issues than the unjustified firing of one poor googled who dared stand against the herd.
It makes me wonder about this giant, chewing up our feed, spitting out the bits we are allowed to see, disposing of the rest like garbage down the sink.
If Google can't tolerate free speech in its own house how can we trust it with ours?
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