So once again we’re aggrieved, and what is it this time? Someone say something inappropriate? Someone wearing something inappropriate? Did someone say they like Donald Trump? - heaven forbid anyone would say that out loud! No, this time it’s a former Google employee.
James Damore, 28 from Alphabet Inc's Google wrote a 10-page memo about the company’s “ideological echo chamber” outlying that men appear to be biologically more suited to coding jobs than women. He also pointed out the company was hostile to conservative viewpoints - they proved him right by firing him.
Support for Damore
Lee Jussim is a professor of social psychology at Rutgers University who in answer to Damore’s memo wrote about the hostile reactions Damore received. These reactions; “ indirectly and ironically validate much of the author’s analysis. Very few of the comments actually engage the arguments; they just fling insults and slurs.” he wrote on quillette.com a website who say they respect ideas’; ‘Even dangerous ones’. Jussim also stated neither the left nor the right gets diversity completely right.
Aaron Ginn, co-founder of the Lincoln Network, a group of libertarian-leaning tech workers and investors said Damore should have been retrained. But how was that going to help? Retrained to the Google politically correct way of thinking?
Nonetheless, he understood the situation Damore was now in; “…. people don’t want to be labelled, as James Damore was, a bigot, a sexist or a racist.” Ginn said. He also said the labelling had a silencing effect. He’s right it does, and it’s very dangerous.
An innocent comment
A few days ago tennis player Serena Williams who is expecting her first baby talked to the Herald Sun in Australia about the impending birth; “I am about to be a real woman now, you know?
It’s going to be something incredibly impressive to go through.” I know how she feels, it is a life changing wonderful experience. But wait! Is that the stirring of the aggrieved? ‘Didn't know I had to have a baby to be a "real woman"..thanks for letting me know’ tweeted one sad puppy. ‘So, in your view, I'm not a real woman because I CHOSE not to have children?’ tweeted another.
Sigh!
Will we ever accept other peoples’ views and then just move on? We either agree with them or we don’t. If we don’t does it matter? They’re not hurting us, they might be disturbing us making us think about their abhorrent views, but really, who gives a stuff? I don’t and I’m so weary of the people who do. Just get a life!
