These aren't pet theories but an excellent starting point for a discussion.
I would have expected a community of smart individuals to sincerely examine these accusations, even if they are not the whole story behind this current scandal, because we could only benefit from such a discussion.
That this article has been flagged by several people only demonstrates a great level of immaturity and that we, as an industry, more than deserve scorn. We can certainly not claim to be open minded and thoughtful after this.
When you're a woman in tech and you're hurt by the community reaction, here on HN as elsewhere, indignation certainly has its place. Catherine Bracy, the author of this post, is an expert on issues of sexism in Silicon Valley, and what she says should carry weight here. The article I posted yesterday was written in the early 70s, and discussed problems in different (though perhaps strangely similar) settings. The words of a modern day expert well versed in Silicon Valley culture should certainly find their place here. I think it reflects badly on this community that HN was allowed to be indignant in the Aaron Swartz and Ed Snowden cases but not in this. This high standard of not adding new information to the discussion was not applied in those cases, as I distinctly remember the front page flooded with at least 5 similar stories on Snowden/Swartz (articles were flagged back then only after a dozen or so stories, and we're not there yet). In fact, HN should be reeling with indignation against all those who suddenly become cool observers and expert rhetoricians calling to suspend judgment.
Whatever the particulars of the GitHub scandal turn out to be don't matter (for the purpose of this discussion). What better opportunity is there to discuss the very real problem of underrepresentation of women in SV than this? And what you call "bait" others might call raising awareness. This isn't the NRA talking after a school shootout, but someone discussing what is possibly the biggest problem in SV culture today as a response to a painful, though far from tragic event.
I also find it problematic that a post by a prominent woman is found to be "indignant and lacking in information", while far worse stupidities by race-car driving programmers are featured prominently. At the very least, I think some affirmative action wouldn't hurt us. In fact, this could be our finest moment, and we're squandering it.
ADD: it is perhaps ironic that Bracy implies that this revulsion from politics in SV is simply a form of a very destructive kind of politics, and flagging this story is precisely a case in point. It is a strong political statement that only nurtures what I think is very bad politics.
I urge you to unflag the story unless you strongly believe that its appearance on the front page is somehow bad for HN.
I would have expected a community of smart individuals to sincerely examine these accusations
From my experience, smartness, sincerity and a sufficiently malleable ego (that enables one to look at accusations constructively) don't always go hand-in-hand. They seem like orthogonal qualities.
Comments
These aren't pet theories but an excellent starting point for a discussion.
I would have expected a community of smart individuals to sincerely examine these accusations, even if they are not the whole story behind this current scandal, because we could only benefit from such a discussion.
That this article has been flagged by several people only demonstrates a great level of immaturity and that we, as an industry, more than deserve scorn. We can certainly not claim to be open minded and thoughtful after this.
[deleted]
When you're a woman in tech and you're hurt by the community reaction, here on HN as elsewhere, indignation certainly has its place. Catherine Bracy, the author of this post, is an expert on issues of sexism in Silicon Valley, and what she says should carry weight here. The article I posted yesterday was written in the early 70s, and discussed problems in different (though perhaps strangely similar) settings. The words of a modern day expert well versed in Silicon Valley culture should certainly find their place here. I think it reflects badly on this community that HN was allowed to be indignant in the Aaron Swartz and Ed Snowden cases but not in this. This high standard of not adding new information to the discussion was not applied in those cases, as I distinctly remember the front page flooded with at least 5 similar stories on Snowden/Swartz (articles were flagged back then only after a dozen or so stories, and we're not there yet). In fact, HN should be reeling with indignation against all those who suddenly become cool observers and expert rhetoricians calling to suspend judgment.
Whatever the particulars of the GitHub scandal turn out to be don't matter (for the purpose of this discussion). What better opportunity is there to discuss the very real problem of underrepresentation of women in SV than this? And what you call "bait" others might call raising awareness. This isn't the NRA talking after a school shootout, but someone discussing what is possibly the biggest problem in SV culture today as a response to a painful, though far from tragic event.
I also find it problematic that a post by a prominent woman is found to be "indignant and lacking in information", while far worse stupidities by race-car driving programmers are featured prominently. At the very least, I think some affirmative action wouldn't hurt us. In fact, this could be our finest moment, and we're squandering it.
ADD: it is perhaps ironic that Bracy implies that this revulsion from politics in SV is simply a form of a very destructive kind of politics, and flagging this story is precisely a case in point. It is a strong political statement that only nurtures what I think is very bad politics.
I urge you to unflag the story unless you strongly believe that its appearance on the front page is somehow bad for HN.
I deleted my comment. Sorry for denting the thread.
From my experience, smartness, sincerity and a sufficiently malleable ego (that enables one to look at accusations constructively) don't always go hand-in-hand. They seem like orthogonal qualities.