This is starting to be scary. Instead of government companies are acting as thought police. I think a lot of people will watch what they are saying publicly from now on.
I certainly would not write a multi-page screed criticizing the policies and practices of my employer, distribute it at work, and then expect to keep my job or have no repercussions.
He put them in a difficult position. The brand and employee-esteem damage caused by tacitly condoning his manifesto by not firing him, vs just getting rid of one engineer. Easy maths. He's gone.
Edit: backwards words not now.
Employees write strategy memos all the time.
Freedom of Speech is not the same thing as Freedom from Consequences. Unless we decide that being "aggressively antisocial" should be a protected class, private companies should have every right to fire employees who they deem toxic for their culture.
If you don't like it don't sign and go work somewhere else.
Are you saying that supporting a presidential candidate is tantamount to "death to white men"? Yes, the candidate in question is abhorrent, but come on. Those statements absolutely don't carry equal weight.
If you read the post I was replying to, it would be obvious why I chose those two examples.
Anyway, I think self censorship is an expected behavior in a peaceful society. For example: you don't bring up recently deceased significant others, comment on awkward physical characteristics of strangers, or mock the suffering of others, without expecting repercussions. People learn at a very young age that certain topics should be avoided for the sake of "keeping the peace".
50 years ago you could use the n-word in business meetings. Now, not so much, but for a long time many people were "self-censoring" themselves to keep the peace in their workplaces. Some still are, but I imagine that most people these days are happy to be in a workplace where n-words are not tolerated. Not just for their own "sensibilities", but also the knowledge that their black coworkers/friends can be in an environment that is actively less hostile.
What we're seeing is the continuing shift in standards for peaceful society. So far I think the track record on these shifts is pretty good, so I'm inclined to let this ride for a while, even if some people have to keep "self-censoring" some of the time.
I guess mob mentality does rule after all.
He is hired to be a programmer, not a social activist and Google surely could stand up and say they don't want be part of that.
I just don't think this should be a firing offense.
Plenty of Google employees are christians and none of them have been fired for it (it's legally protected, for one thing)
Maybe read the article and other informed commentary such as this ex-Googler: https://medium.com/@yonatanzunger/so-about-this-googlers-man...
https://medium.com/@silverstrike/i-like-how-you-portray-the-...
The summary at the end of
"Get over yourself. You are not as special as you believe yourself to be.
At that point, I gave up on your pathetic and emotional diatribe. Your piece is devoid of any logic, reason, or sense and serves as a way for you to virtue-signal to the rest of the world how much of a “stand-up guy” you are."
Is spot on how I read that Medium post.
I found nothing of value in the Ex Googler's commentary.