We’ve written plenty about that internal memo criticizing Google’s diversity initiatives … the one that reportedly led to women staying home from work Monday because they were so upset by it. It’s worth discussing, though; the engineer who wrote it was fired after a media firestorm that drastically mischaracterized its contents.
“I value diversity and inclusion [and] am not denying that sexism exists,” wrote James Damore, adding, “If we can’t have an honest discussion about this, then we can never truly solve the problem.”
So, naturally, Google CEO Sundar Pichai fired Damore and then scheduled that honest discussion about the topic. As it turns out, though, people won’t be able to share their feelings about Google’s “ideological echo chamber” because of a fear that they’ll be “outed.”
Google cancels staff meeting to address gender issues https://t.co/NaovslIrOf pic.twitter.com/EJ9ct30AnD
— Bloomberg (@business) August 10, 2017
Bloomberg reports that the all-hands meeting was canceled after questions that were to be asked were leaked online, leaving employees afraid they’d be harassed.
Google CEO: some of you are worried that you cannot speak out at work freely. pic.twitter.com/T8FSvwRHf4
— Scott McGrew (@ScottMcGrew) August 11, 2017
Geez, I wonder why any employee would get that notion.?
— Stewart Hanson (@Jaystew17) August 11, 2017
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Tends to happen when you fire and publicly humiliate/ruin an employee for speaking freely. https://t.co/whn8RRXSqP
— MrsFiveO (@MrsFiveO) August 11, 2017
Sounds like the company’s got a handle on its human resources issues, huh?
Google CEO Sundar Pichai has canceled an all-staff meeting on diversity, called after the firing of James Damore (https://t.co/TTl8xDPqPS).
— NPR (@NPR) August 11, 2017
Pichai had said the senior engineer's email ripping Google's diversity efforts went too far (https://t.co/5aIgPujmdl) & set up the staff mtg
— NPR (@NPR) August 11, 2017
"We had hoped to have a frank, open discussion today as we always do to bring us together & move forward," his memo on the cancellation says
— NPR (@NPR) August 11, 2017
But … doesn’t a “frank, open discussion” run the risk of people’s feelings being hurt, possibly leading more sensitive employees to stay home from work?
But employees who've asked questions "are now being named personally" online and are worried about their safety & being "outed" publicly.
— NPR (@NPR) August 11, 2017
So whats' next? Pichai says talks are in works. NPR's Laura Sydell writes that colleges may have lessons to offer: https://t.co/p3GC2qQc3P
— NPR (@NPR) August 11, 2017
We’re certain colleges have plenty of lessons to offer, as far as setting up safe spaces and punishing dissent. Aside from that … it’s too risky to think about.
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Related:
NPR: Women at Google were so upset over memo citing biological differences they skipped work https://t.co/doQoFROY50
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 8, 2017
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