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The fact that there is such a ...passionate... discussion about it, from "this is terrible" to "this guy is just being too sensitive" or "OMG, the OP is racist as well!" shows that there isn't a consensus opinion about this kind of behavior in the workplace for our industry.

This, along with sexism, is difficult to talk about well, but I don't know if that means we need to stop talking.

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Do we need a "consensus opinion"? Does it need to happen here?

My point is that discussing controversial social issues is generally unproductive. Worth thinking about, but unless PG devotes his next essay to this topic, I don't think anyone is going to be changing their minds here.

For what it's worth I agree with most of your comments on this thread, and the backlash you are getting has really lowered my average opinion of this community. It's disgusting.

I totally see where you're coming from, and I don't think that we need a consensus opinion on everything. I'm just really disturbed that "don't be a sexist asshole" and "don't be a racist asshole" are still actual controversial positions in a community I care so much about.

I don't know if talking about it will make anything any better, but I have a hard time with the idea of not talking about it as a way to improve things.

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