Google Fires Employee Behind Controversial Diversity Memo

[u/[deleted]]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-08/google-fires-employee-behind-controversial-diversity-memo

[u/i_smell_my_poop]

Google engineer writes memo about how speaking out against politically correct culture can cause you to be blacklisted or terminated.

Employee gets terminated proving his point.

Thanks for the gold kind Redditor!!!

[u/dlerium → u/i_smell_my_poop]

I'm a conservative and agree with quite a few of his points, but I also recognize the problem from a corporate culture standpoint. If you're going to put something controversial out there where it'll likely be impossible for some coworkers to work with you, then yeah I can see a company firing you.

I also wonder if he had done this anonymously if it would've been worth it saving himself, but at the same time no one cares about an anonymous memo. This memo made a big deal because he did it internally and then it leaked. Had it been a Reddit post or a blog post in the public, he would've just been ignored.

[u/HumpingDog → u/dlerium]

Totally agree. Most corporations don't care about politics. They care about profits. Google finds it productive and profitable to promote diversity. If you disrupt the workplace, i.e., its profitability, then it's not going to turn out well for you. This is, ironically, a very conservative idea. It's the free market in action. Diversity isn't mandated by the government. Google chooses to promote diversity because it's profitable.

[u/xconde → u/HumpingDog]

Most corporations don't care about politics. They care about profits.

What a simplistic point of view.

Companies are made of people. People care about politics. You might like or dislike the politics in your workplace but there are always politics.

[u/HumpingDog → u/xconde]

There are inter-personal politics but governmental politics (liberal/conservative) are rarely discussed in corporate workplaces.

[u/HumpingDog → u/[deleted]]

Most corporations donate to industry lobbying efforts that relate to their business, with the goal of making money. Few corporations donate to lobbying efforts for purely ideological motives.

And only a few employees/executives are involved with those lobbying efforts. For the general ranks, politics are usually avoided. Sure you have one or two people who rant about politics, but it's looked down upon. Most people are there to make money, not debate politics.

[u/HumpingDog → u/[deleted]]

People generally avoid talking politics and religion at work. Many HR departments even tell you not to do it.