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Comment by nsxwolf | Hacker News Reader

I shut my mouth at work and go along with this stuff because I have no choice. I have a family to take care of. I've accepted this. But man, why do they always throw in the line about striving to make the workplace a "diverse and inclusive culture where everyone can bring their full and authentic self"? Everyone knows that's a goddamn lie. I almost want to cry when I read that - it makes me so angry. I haven't been anything like myself in the workplace for over a decade now and I'm sure I'll never be again. I live a lie when I'm here and so do many, many others.

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> I almost want to cry when I read that - it makes me so angry.

I understand this feeling. It’s because they do not at all want you to bring your authentic self. By definition, all this culture stuff is teach you who you should be at work. That’s ok. You have to run a company and you need a certain culture to do that (or at least you think you do). Fine. It’s your company. Discriminate against who you have to successfully run your business in the current cultural climate. But when you blatantly lie to my face about it and tell me to bring my authentic self, it infuriates me because I know that’s precisely what you DONT want.

I know the feeling. At my work, the leader has started calling us a family, and that we should be a family and treat each other like family and bring our authentic selves to work. I'm not a leader, I'm a mother to 2 children, a daughter to an immigrant blah blah blah.

Fuck off with that bullshit.

Doesn't anyone know what it means to be a professional any more? I don't care about your beliefs, as long as you come to work and do your fucking job, and be respectful to those around you. How fucking hard is that?

Apparently too hard in the 21st century for so many.

I wonder if we shouldn't go back to addressing coworkers by their last names, to restore the lost sense of professionalism.

This might not apply to you, but it has helped me immensely to cut back spending money for pretty much anything. This means I get to work 70% or even less and still have a kids. I know it's not always easy, but there are people living very healthy and happy lives with minimum wage.

However I'm also aware that not everybody has that luxury, but I feel like most people have at least some options. Try to convice your boss that you can work 90% or something. Even getting rid partially of unhealthy work situations is a win.

It gets worse Khaine. New startups and companies being run by Millennial are a joke. They are too deep into this; and they encourage and nurture a culture of mediocrity.

But everything will eventually even out. Remember when it was claimed that QE will not bring inflation because MMT? How did that turn out Morties?

Same here, and it's not just the job, intellectually participating in any community larger than "small and heavily guarded" seems to be subject to the same rules - all of them eventually collapse due to the same reason except people have easier time voting with their feet.

The company knows it’s a lie too.

My friend had a company all hands where someone asked “Why does our company PAC give money to politicians with anti-diversity views?”.

The answer was a lot of handwaving but ended with “It’s good for business”.

It’s abundantly clear it’s all performative. Companies are happy to talk D&I all day long, but when it comes to the bottom line they are more than happy to drop it all if needed.

You’re smart to just play the game, because it is just a game.

> Everyone knows that's a goddamn lie. I almost want to cry when I read that

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him."

Racism is anti-racist. Objective thinking is biased. Burning down cities is mostly peaceful protest.

If your allegiance is not absolute, then you absolutely do not have allegiance. So, don't question. Do.

It stops if people refuse to live within the lie.

Read Vaclav Havel's "Power of the powerless".

This might be the most honest comment over ever read on THN. Thanks for posting it.

"In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself. One’s standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to." — Theodore Dalrymple

Can you expand on what you mean by "I haven't been anything like myself in the workplace for over a decade now and I'm sure I'll never be again"?

Did I post this and forget I did?

I’m in the same boat.

> and so do many, many others.

Thank you for saying it.

Will you speak up when if affects your performance or prospects for promotion?

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