Thoughts on the Google memo
By now, the entire tech world has probably read this memo. Taking the author at his word, we can assume that he wrote it as an attempt to share a counter-point to what he sees as the prevailing conversation at Google:
People generally have good intentions, but we all have biases which are invisible to us. Thankfully, open and honest discussion with those who disagree can highlight our blind spots and help us grow, which is why I wrote this document. Google has several biases and honest discussion about these biases is being silenced by the dominant ideology. What follows is by no means the complete story, but it’s a perspective that desperately needs to be told at Google.
I tend to lean left, but with the exception of one sister, I am a part of an entirely conservative family. Every single aunt, uncle, cousin and grandparent in my 40-person extended family is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican. This sense that the “dominant ideology” leans left is pervasive. This preference for “speaking one’s mind” over “political correctness” is inescapable. And I have two thoughts to offer in regards to these.
The first, is that this conception vividly illustrates just how invisible our power structures are to many people. To believe that “dominant ideology” leans left is to willfully ignore ample signs to the contrary. For example: since the modern parties were established the majority of Presidents have been Republicans. The values associated with the Republican party have obviously gendered overtones. Rugged individualism, efficiency, pragmatism, military strength, business friendliness — if those aren’t considered “masculine” traits then I’m not sure what are. To say that our society is somehow not dominated by support and admiration for traditionally masculine traits, especially when it comes to leadership positions, is honestly confusing. There’s a huge chasm between appreciating feminine traits, and actually putting your votes, money, or trust behind them. That chasm is what most diversity training is hoping to cross.
The second thought, is that it baffles me that someone who personally has felt silenced or shamed — as many “tell it like is” conservatives have felt — cannot recognize that those moments could be sites of camaraderie. The emotional salve for such feelings is as universal as the feelings themselves — those that feel silenced wish deeply to be heard. They wish to be seen as humans, not victims, villains, or stereotypes. There will always be moral undercurrents to social groups, missteps on the path to understanding, and many of the other things this writer took issue with. And “open and honest discussion” as presented will likely not achieve the end he seeks. Presenting contrarian opinions simply polarizes. On the other hand, jointly committing to relentlessly humanize one another could be revolutionary.
