Sorry, but if you know your company is evil and you still work there, you’re evil too.
Once worked at a very major German donation-based organization as an it-admin. Wanted to do something valuable with my sparetime.
What I learned there made me never donate a single cent again to any organization ever. I left on the spot, knowing they would never dare to sue because they fear the truth could come out. People could literally just not show up for weeks without explanation and wouldn’t even get a slap on the wrist.
Before that I donated like 50k a year to many.
Could I work there and still call myself “a good people”? Absolutely not.
There’s exceptions, but almost every company harms at least someone, or some thing through their existence. Maybe not the world as a whole, maybe just a small portion of it, but considering the nature of doing business itself, it’s a difficult problem to get around.
Ok, “evil” surely isn’t black/white. Capitalism in its roots borders around evil, that’s true. But it’s still a difference of selling crap to idiots who won’t question their purchases and ripping e.g. people off of their stuff or just…well, selling arms, munition, addictive drugs (knowing there would be non-addictive versions), making/selling alcohol/nicotine and whatnot…
Concur about the lack of black and white. Interestingly enough, a major portion of your list of evils are things that I consider good. Addictive drugs are bad… everything else has a helpful, practical use, but could also be bad if used by a bad person.
I worked for one evil company and I left fairly quickly. They added features that were basically designed to funnel money from gambling addicts and people were even joking about it internally. It felt so gross. I just couldn’t in good conscience stay around.
Everyone has a choice. It might be harder for some, but it’s still a choice. Work for the evil company or not. Noone forces me at gunpoint to go to work. I’d argue it’s possible to change. Maybe not easy or fun, but possible.
There may be exceptions in uncivilized countries where it’s “work or die” where it’s “me or them”.
I, personally, just couldn’t. Working for someone that’s clearly against my ethics or moral code? I would probably prefer welfare over that. Couldn’t enjoy anything I would buy from that salary.
Better be poor but proud than rich and ashamed of myself.
Agreed but at some point I am forced to work “at gunpoint” because I have a wife and kids who need a house and food and cars. I’m jealous of anyone in a position to simply quit.
I work for a company that works for another company in the hospitality industry. The software system is being updated (in part of a much broader system change) to no longer allow non-binary or unspecified gender. We aren’t writing that part, but have to support it. I consider it a shortsighted and cruel change. But I’ve also spent a 7 of the last 30 months looking for work. I’m over fifty and I’m currently trying to build my retirement savings back up from zero after that.
I’m not walking away just because of this change. Instead I’m making sure our software is easy to change back when world is ready for that once again. That’s the best I can do, and I’ve worked for companies engaged in much greater evil.
When I got hired on a contract for Uline I’d never heard of them. Then I found out that are huge contributors to the Republican Party and I was glad when they decided to replace me on that contract, but I couldn’t just walk away. That was the most morally conflicted I’ve ever been at a job. But it gave my family the means to thrive, and that is my first goal.
Yeah sure, i hear you.
Though one could argue if having the (silly) opinion to scratch modern gendering off the agenda is actually “evil”. It’s stupid, but it’s just a political opinion one is allowed to have and share. And fully live out in one’s company.
So, quitting here just because they’re narrow-minded and stupid would be a bit overkill. But just staying there until you find something better: Totally acceptable I’d say.
I might’ve sound very harsh and black/white-ish, but i often talk in principles, not in simple 100%-always-appliable-rules-for-everybody.
And kudos that you do your protest in the means possible :)
It’s fair to acknowledge the reality that it’s not easy or even instant and the market sucks at the moment. I’d say even looking for work would be better than nothing. You have to do what you have to do.
I don’t think the gender thing is being evil. You’re literally required to support that and you’re doing your best. That’s not really in your or your companies control.
Sorry, but if you know your company is evil and you still work there, you’re evil too.
Once worked at a very major German donation-based organization as an it-admin. Wanted to do something valuable with my sparetime. What I learned there made me never donate a single cent again to any organization ever. I left on the spot, knowing they would never dare to sue because they fear the truth could come out. People could literally just not show up for weeks without explanation and wouldn’t even get a slap on the wrist. Before that I donated like 50k a year to many.
Could I work there and still call myself “a good people”? Absolutely not.
There’s exceptions, but almost every company harms at least someone, or some thing through their existence. Maybe not the world as a whole, maybe just a small portion of it, but considering the nature of doing business itself, it’s a difficult problem to get around.
Ok, “evil” surely isn’t black/white. Capitalism in its roots borders around evil, that’s true. But it’s still a difference of selling crap to idiots who won’t question their purchases and ripping e.g. people off of their stuff or just…well, selling arms, munition, addictive drugs (knowing there would be non-addictive versions), making/selling alcohol/nicotine and whatnot…
Concur about the lack of black and white. Interestingly enough, a major portion of your list of evils are things that I consider good. Addictive drugs are bad… everything else has a helpful, practical use, but could also be bad if used by a bad person.
This.
I worked for one evil company and I left fairly quickly. They added features that were basically designed to funnel money from gambling addicts and people were even joking about it internally. It felt so gross. I just couldn’t in good conscience stay around.
Sounds exactly like the kind of evil to leave. Well done! “Gross” nearly fits. It’s disgusting. Preying on the weakest amongst us is plain disgusting.
Correct.
A person who knows about evil and continues to participate in perpetuating it?
That is the definition of complicit.
You either quit, become a hypocrite and coward, or embrace and justify the evil.
Left, liberal, conservative.
Thats pretty much how USAmerican terminology for politics/society works.
I agree and I know it’s hard to swallow, but that’s enabling.
Yes, life is hard and it’s not easy or possible for everyone to change jobs. Still.
Everyone has a choice. It might be harder for some, but it’s still a choice. Work for the evil company or not. Noone forces me at gunpoint to go to work. I’d argue it’s possible to change. Maybe not easy or fun, but possible. There may be exceptions in uncivilized countries where it’s “work or die” where it’s “me or them”.
I, personally, just couldn’t. Working for someone that’s clearly against my ethics or moral code? I would probably prefer welfare over that. Couldn’t enjoy anything I would buy from that salary. Better be poor but proud than rich and ashamed of myself.
Agreed but at some point I am forced to work “at gunpoint” because I have a wife and kids who need a house and food and cars. I’m jealous of anyone in a position to simply quit.
I work for a company that works for another company in the hospitality industry. The software system is being updated (in part of a much broader system change) to no longer allow non-binary or unspecified gender. We aren’t writing that part, but have to support it. I consider it a shortsighted and cruel change. But I’ve also spent a 7 of the last 30 months looking for work. I’m over fifty and I’m currently trying to build my retirement savings back up from zero after that.
I’m not walking away just because of this change. Instead I’m making sure our software is easy to change back when world is ready for that once again. That’s the best I can do, and I’ve worked for companies engaged in much greater evil.
When I got hired on a contract for Uline I’d never heard of them. Then I found out that are huge contributors to the Republican Party and I was glad when they decided to replace me on that contract, but I couldn’t just walk away. That was the most morally conflicted I’ve ever been at a job. But it gave my family the means to thrive, and that is my first goal.
Yeah sure, i hear you. Though one could argue if having the (silly) opinion to scratch modern gendering off the agenda is actually “evil”. It’s stupid, but it’s just a political opinion one is allowed to have and share. And fully live out in one’s company. So, quitting here just because they’re narrow-minded and stupid would be a bit overkill. But just staying there until you find something better: Totally acceptable I’d say. I might’ve sound very harsh and black/white-ish, but i often talk in principles, not in simple 100%-always-appliable-rules-for-everybody.
And kudos that you do your protest in the means possible :)
Yes basically capitalism is rigged and at some point we are forced. Hence wage slaves.
That’s why we need to slow down the bastards and be as incompetent as possible in these positions.
It’s fair to acknowledge the reality that it’s not easy or even instant and the market sucks at the moment. I’d say even looking for work would be better than nothing. You have to do what you have to do.
I don’t think the gender thing is being evil. You’re literally required to support that and you’re doing your best. That’s not really in your or your companies control.