123 Comments

This idea that big tech CEOs have a greater chance of being psychopaths than others is absurd. The psychopath actually cares nothing about the issues--nor can they understand the moral implications--but instead is concerned only with how they will be perceived. Their primary concern is that people might be "on to them" for not caring about anyone but themselves. But for the big tech CEO it's . . . well, I'm not exactly sure, but I know it's not because they're psychopaths.

Those perceived to hold the most power at the moment (even if its the mob) will be placated by the psychopath without hesitation in that their association with its moral codes will cover for their amorality while championing these goals will help elevate them amongst whoever is the toughest at the moment. They will do this because they have no way to connect to both the validity of anyone else's ideas other than their own nor to have empathy for the individual apart from themselves. The CEO, on the other hand . . . must have an excuse, even if it's not dawning on me at the moment.

The psychopath then proceeds to go overboard in virtue signaling--including having no problem dropping fundamental rights like free speech and individual rights to back a popular cause--and in doing so overcorrects without an innate sense of morality to temper them. It's like a mob outside a courtroom yelling to disbar a judge for a decision he just made they didn't like while the psychopath will hear this and choose to yell, "Hang the judge!" thinking he will then demonstrate he is the most virtuous of all. Meanwhile the big tech CEO will . . . . (Can someone help me out here, please?)

Expand full comment

A company in this space renamed ERGs to BRGs to represent these groups need to support the business aims. It was worth a pause and a notice.

I find the DEI stuff insulting. Much of it makes facts out of coincidences. We are forced to agree to do our job. There is no debate.

I recently was on a work sponsored volunteering trip and told I was pitiable because I grew up in a household with only one car. I replied, well not really, my parents molded thrift and handwork for me and that is why I can afford 2 as single person and have more time off with more income than they ever dreamt of in their lives for their children.

It is also insulting when you are told hiring cannot take into account where the person went to school, what they studied, and where they worked to gain experience. What the heck is the point of the interview?

When the BLM thing went down; I was derided for pointing out that America is really not as racist as most of the world and we need to be more thoughtful here. Turns out most of America understands that now. I said the same type of thing at 9/11, all this invasion nonsense would be a mistake. I can go on...turns out being centrist is kind of a reasonable place to be in a society trying to make space for everything under the sun.

I was sexually harassed by a female coworker, who turned out did the same thing to multiple male members of my part of the company. Why did I not have to deal with it? I'm gay as a 3$ bill. It was all I could do not to throw up at the idea of seeing her naked. The double standard I experienced was STUNNING. She remained at the company for years. I have all her notes, emails, phone calls, including my replies. She wanted to convert me so I didnt die of AIDS. But it was clear that I was assumed to be the one in the wrong.

Another female coworker who is also Asian was allowed to pass an important exam because she complained so much about discrimination. Everyone knows this about her. She is illegitimate. But DEI came to play over true measures of competence.

So when you wonder why people are just kind of going along to get along on this...add in the dimension of race vs. the double standards it becomes clear why all this is just going along to get along for most of us.

And then, still, we have inequality, so what exactly is getting better here? Feels like we've wall papered over a wall made of s**t.

Expand full comment

To paraphrase a long forgotten character in the Al Capp cartoon, Joe Palooka, the Business of America is business. When you concentrate on other things at work, it gets muddied. Now they need to go back and right the vicious inhuman sacrifices they perpetrated on their former employees.

Expand full comment

Rather than offering employees severance packages, they should have fired them for cause, for disruptive behavior in the workplace. Pour encourrager les autres.

Expand full comment

"As Heinemeier Hansson so elegantly puts it: ā€œWhatā€™s the point of having ā€˜fuck youā€™ money if you donā€™t ever say fuck you?ā€"

Love that!

Expand full comment

These companies and their Woke ideas about DEI and the like are similar to their Market Cap. value. Inflated, somewhat dubious and doomed to reality someday. Seems this article is recognizing this day looms closer.

Expand full comment

I remember breathing a sigh of relief listening to Brian discuss this on the All-In Podcast a few years ago. Kudos!

Expand full comment

It's a hopeful sign of cooler heads prevailing, but there is a long way to go I think before the majority get there.

Expand full comment

I was talking to my GenZ daughter, a graduating law student, about how when I started working you could get into a lot of trouble or even fired for discussing politics or religion at work.

Her response? "That is a first amendment violation.".

I had to explain to her once again that a workplace is not a democracy, it is an authoritarian dictatorship where your rights are curtailed by the whim of the employer.

Expand full comment

If you believe, with Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt, that the political is the distinction between friend and enemy, then it's a very small step to see that politics inside a corporation is a very bad idea.

The only enemy should be the dastardly competitor trying to steal our customers!

Expand full comment

Brining your professional self to work rather than your whole selfā€¦what a concept. Itā€™s called professionalism, idiots.

Expand full comment

Sigh. Iā€™ll take a step in the right direction. However small, itā€™s at least better than no steps or another step in the wrong direction.

Expand full comment

Great story. It's a bright spot in otherwise dreary day. I'm Gen X and have nothing but contempt for the spoiled brat social justice tech worker in Silicone Valley. Shut up and work is what I'd tell them. I work in the defense industry and we have a much lower threshold for crap like this.

Expand full comment

What a refreshing approach! I remember being so annoyed by all the companies that had my email sending me these gratuitous BLM messages in 2020!

Expand full comment

Thankfully, we live in a fairly free and only somewhat fettered capitalist society. So if you donā€™t like your employerā€™s policies, you can leave, going somewhere else, or even start your own company where what you believe can matter. Talent has beliefs covering the spectrum. If your employerā€™s must match yours and doesnā€™t, go.

Expand full comment

I'm surprised there aren't more comments on here, but I guess that's typical when its a good news story?

I work in what I can only describe as a hostile EDI-driven environment, and I'm very very relieved to hear the stories of these leaders.

Over my working life, I have worked for various private and public companies, a non-profit and now a local government, I can say with absolute certainty that private sector jobs are ideal.

Non-profits throw away their values to qualify for grants (something I can only really describe as like watching a good organization contract cancer), and government's are extremely vulnerable to activist driven middle managers.

We need strong private sector leaders who are brave enough to just do good work and stop pandering to the left.

Expand full comment