A look at startup culture wars happening around Coinbase, Expensify, and others as they become embroiled in a debate over the role of politics in the workplace
Coinbase, Expensify, Soylent, Clubhouse and others are embroiled in a culture war over politics and the workplace. Tweets: @belril , @nathanielpopper , @nicoleperlroth , @nytmedia , @oduneweniyi , @ellenchisa , @plainsite , @dealbook , @beingbrina , @nytimesbusiness , @rahafharfoush , @s_m_i , and @eringriffith Tweets: Blair Hanley Frank / @belril : It remains frustrating to me that people who run companies are unaccustomed to the idea that *literally everything* is political. Every choice we make is a political act! That is doubly important for people who steer large organizations. https://www.nytimes.com/... Nathaniel Popper / @nathanielpopper : Even the people who most want to avoid politics in Silicon Valley are struggling themselves. w/ @eringriffith https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/... Nicole Perlroth / @nicoleperlroth : After @pmarca started a Clubhouse room called “Holding Space for Karens,” a “Holding Space for Marc Andreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessen,” soon popped up, in which people expressed disappointment with Clubhouse. Andreessen later started a Clubhouse room called “Silence,” where no one spoke." https://twitter.com/... @nytmedia : “There's no real separation anymore, in the current political climate, between politics and everything else. It has permeated absolutely everything,” said one venture capitalist. https://www.nytimes.com/... @oduneweniyi : This is a very timely post given the times we're in - even here in Nigeria. And to be honest the crux remains: no tech platform is (can be) completely neutral. To Do Politics or Not Do Politics? Tech Start-Ups Are Divided https://www.nytimes.com/... Ellen Chisa / @ellenchisa : 100% this from @katieS “Founders who build companies with millions of users “really have an obligation to have a point of view and make sure their products are being used for good,” Ms. Stanton said.” https://twitter.com/... @plainsite : A disappointing both-sides analysis from @eringriffith and @nathanielpopper. The story here is that so many Valley VCs and CEOs are right-wing, anti-tax, male chauvinist extremists who many wrongly assume to be liberal because of CA. https://www.nytimes.com/... @dealbook : With days to go before the election, start-ups have become embroiled in a debate over how much politics should be part of the workplace. And venture capitalists and other tech executives have weighed in on social media with their own views. https://www.nytimes.com/... Sabrina Hersi Issa / @beingbrina : Nothing is neutral. Not even business (and *especially* business)... https://twitter.com/... @nytimesbusiness : At one end, Expensify encouraged its 10 million customers to vote for Joe Biden. At the other end, Coinbase banned political discussions at work and said employees who disagreed with the policy could leave. https://www.nytimes.com/... Rahaf Harfoush / @rahafharfoush : Insisting that businesses are exempt from the impact of politics tells you exactly how far we've separated economics from human existence. Many don't have the privilege of opting out- it's a matter of survival. (Via @bvajresh) https://www.nytimes.com/... Stacy-Marie Ishmael / @s_m_i : this framing always comes from a place of assumed and homogenous defaults. For some people their mere *existence* in the workplace is seen as not just political but as intensely partisan. https://twitter.com/... Erin Griffith / @eringriffith : A week before the election, the political outrage and polarization among startups has become SEVERE. Wrote about the startup culture wars happening around Coinbase, Expensify, Clubhouse and others, w/ @nathanielpopper https://www.nytimes.com/...
100% this from @katieS “Founders who build companies with millions of users “really have an obligation to have a point of view and make sure their products are being used for good,” Ms. Stanton said.” https://twitter.com/...
It remains frustrating to me that people who run companies are unaccustomed to the idea that *literally everything* is political. Every choice we make is a political act! That is doubly important for people who steer large organizations. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Even the people who most want to avoid politics in Silicon Valley are struggling themselves. w/ @eringriffith https://www.nytimes.com/... https://twitter.com/...
After @pmarca started a Clubhouse room called “Holding Space for Karens,” a “Holding Space for Marc Andreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessen,” soon popped up, in which people expressed disappointment with Clubhouse. Andreessen later started a Clubhouse room called “Silence,” where no one spoke."…
“There's no real separation anymore, in the current political climate, between politics and everything else. It has permeated absolutely everything,” said one venture capitalist. https://www.nytimes.com/...
This is a very timely post given the times we're in - even here in Nigeria. And to be honest the crux remains: no tech platform is (can be) completely neutral. To Do Politics or Not Do Politics? Tech Start-Ups Are Divided https://www.nytimes.com/...
A disappointing both-sides analysis from @eringriffith and @nathanielpopper. The story here is that so many Valley VCs and CEOs are right-wing, anti-tax, male chauvinist extremists who many wrongly assume to be liberal because of CA. https://www.nytimes.com/...
With days to go before the election, start-ups have become embroiled in a debate over how much politics should be part of the workplace. And venture capitalists and other tech executives have weighed in on social media with their own views. https://www.nytimes.com/...
At one end, Expensify encouraged its 10 million customers to vote for Joe Biden. At the other end, Coinbase banned political discussions at work and said employees who disagreed with the policy could leave. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Insisting that businesses are exempt from the impact of politics tells you exactly how far we've separated economics from human existence. Many don't have the privilege of opting out- it's a matter of survival. (Via @bvajresh) https://www.nytimes.com/...
this framing always comes from a place of assumed and homogenous defaults. For some people their mere *existence* in the workplace is seen as not just political but as intensely partisan. https://twitter.com/...
A week before the election, the political outrage and polarization among startups has become SEVERE. Wrote about the startup culture wars happening around Coinbase, Expensify, Clubhouse and others, w/ @nathanielpopper https://www.nytimes.com/...