Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber, James Damore & YOU

James Damore, a senior software engineer who had worked at Google since  2013, posted a memo on a Google discussion board and got canned.  Damore has a master’s degree in systems biology from Harvard.  His ordeal has aroused some very lively conversations, but how many people have bothered to read the actual memo?

Does bias cloud our thinking about diversity and inclusion.  What about Young Earth Science (YES) inclusion?  Let's have diversity of views presented on the age-of-the-earth controversy!  Natural Selection anyone?

Damore says, "Psychological safety is built on mutual respect and acceptance, but unfortunately our culture of shaming and misrepresentation is disrespectful and  unaccepting of anyone outside its echo chamber."  Amen!  Please quit shaming YES advocates with the tag "flat-earther."

Damore continues, "Political orientation is actually a result of deep moral preferences and thus biases.  Considering that the overwhelming majority of the social sciences, media, and Google lean left, we should critically examine these prejudices ..."  True enough‼

If you google "biological essentialism" you will get gender topics on the first page of your results.  Damore points out that women generally exhibit a greater degree of, "Openness directed towards feelings and aesthetics rather than ideas.   Women generally also have a stronger interest in people rather than things, relative to men."  He further states that, "Women on average are more  cooperative [than men]."

Biological Essentialism also has another reference - the idea that Essential Types of Life (ETL's) are stable.  Kangaroos reproduce "Roos" and pangolins make more pangolins.  I deal with this engaging topic in chapter three of my book YES- Young Earth Science.

In the section titled "Why we're blind" Damore himself is apparently unaware of his own slant on science, "We all have biases and use motivated reasoning to dismiss ideas that run counter to our internal values.  ... some on the Right deny science that runs counter to the 'God > humans > environment' hierarchy (e.g., evolution and climate change) ..."  But what if evolution is wrong?

Damore makes a significant point, "In highly progressive environments, conservatives are a minority that feel like they need to stay in the closet to avoid open hostility.  We should empower those with different ideologies to be able to express themselves."  Tell it like it is.  This includes those who deny Darwinism.