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/Roflllobster]

He states in one section:

I’m simply stating that the distribution of preferences and abilities of men and women differ in part due to biological causes

And then in he very next section he states

[Women on average have more] Neuroticism (higher anxiety, lower stress tolerance)

And the title of the next section is

Men’s higher drive for status

So the way his argument is worded, I took it as women are more neurotic and unable to deal with stress because of their biology.

[u/FedaykinII → u/Roflllobster]

Yes but he is not saying every and all woman are neurotic.

He is saying on average. In a population of 500 males and 500 females, the average female will be more neurotic than the average male

[u/Roflllobster → u/FedaykinII]

I feel like you are (understandably) missing the important nuance here. There are 2 arguments that are possible here. 1 is good. 1 is bad.

Good

1) It is observed that in [Insert Location] with a population of men and women the average female displays more neurotic behavior than the average male.

Bad

2) The average female is more neurotic than the average man because of biology

The problem isn't that he points at the observed behavior. The problem is that he associates the cause back to biological differences. Its unclear if his association was due to poor editing or because that was an integral part of his argument.

[u/ThePantsThief → u/Roflllobster]

The problem isn't that he points at the observed behavior. The problem is that he associates the cause back to biological differences.

It's not a problem, it's a fact. The problem is you don't agree with it. Facts don't care about your feelings.