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Comment by csa | Hacker News Reader

> the network effects are largely detrimental to minority groups

“… detrimental to low socioeconomic status groups, within which minorities are over-represented”.

FTFY, not to be a pedant, but to highlight the fact that many white people from certain backgrounds also struggle with this, while well-connected minorities largely do not.

In fact, connected minorities essentially have super-powered network effects since the demand for minorities who can jump through all of the hiring hoops greatly exceeds the supply.

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> many white people from certain backgrounds

Sad Eastern European noises, aka "You are on this council, but we do not grant you the rank of master"

> In fact, connected minorities essentially have super-powered network...

...in isolated pockets where those things exist.

Outside of those places, minorities have their slider set to something-other-than the easiest difficulty level.

As a white guy in generally good condition, my slider was slid all the way to easy. My road was still super hard - but it was easier than it was for women, brown people, etc.

In 1990 I moved to FL and ran headfirst into no connections=no work. I did the Make Your Own Luck thing. Hundreds of brief introductions led to a few relationships. A few of those became potential leads. It was a years long process. The eventual successes hinged on a few, key connections with people who saw something familiar.

If I hadn't been familiar, I wouldn't have been remembered past the introduction.

I'm not just talking about population level racial minorities. It can be things like disabilities, or even white people in areas/industries/ teams with a majority Asian population. It could even be somewhat based on political or religious beliefs and the other cultural-social background that forms what hobbies and other activities you might meet someone at.

Yeah, certain minorities can benefit from programs that value them above others, but the above and beyond results you talk about come after the main connections are made. This doesn't extend to all minority groups either, like those with invisible disabilities (after all, it's mostly about how things look).

I think you may be assuming the parent poster's definition of minority.

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