Google bats for gender equality, ends up hating free speech
What's the story
Google has fired James Damore, the man behind the anti-diversity memo that caused widespread outcry both within and outside the firm in the last few days.
While the majority jeered at him, some actually found sense in his argument and cheered him on. Some tech firms even ended up offering him jobs.
The bottom line is that he was fired.
The question is why.
Pichai
Watch your step
Sundar Pichai went on record to say that this is the sort of behavior that the firm condones, which should be praised; but by firing the messenger, he showed that Google will not tolerate any criticism of its stances.
There are several things wrong with this policy. The chief one is that it'll further fuel the gender wars in the tech world.
Argument
This was not a random outburst
It's not plausible that one day, just based on a whim, one employee went on to pen a letter with bells and whistles, giving a coherent argument on a certain point.
Tech firms, in the recent times, have been the breeding ground of gender inequality. This must have brewed over a period of time.
However, the question remains - why fire the messenger!
Speech
Any counter argument is banned now?
Damore has put forward a point. It may be wrong or may be the worst thing in the entire century, but he has exercised free speech.
He has not taken a banner and shouted it on the campus, but sat down with a pen and jotted down his thoughts.
It's unpleasing but that doesn't make it a feasible ground for termination.
If you deny free speech, you are a tyrant
It was not Voltaire, but a woman who said, "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Just because you don't like it, doesn't mean you go ahead and ban it.
That's the diktat of a tyrant and can't be the stance of someone, who believes in gender equality.
Damore
This was not the way
Damore could have been subjected to review by peers or disciplinary measures but instead, he was fired.
This termination supports the same bias that Google so proactively went ahead to thwart.
It shows that the "liberal" will be "conservative" if it doesn't suit their liberal agenda.
Those, who cheered Damore, just got one more reason to do so with the stance taken by Google.