A Feminist Critique of Silicon Valley

http://www.technologyreview.com/qa/533096/a-feminist-critique-of-silicon-valley/

by replicatorblog • 12 years ago

33 9 12 years ago

omonra4• 12 years ago

I was hoping for actual critique - instead it appears to be just angry spouting by a disaffected 'someone who worked for 5 years in marketing and operations' at 'white men in charge'.

What exactly is she bringing to the table that makes her opinion valuable. I'm not saying she's wrong - as I've never worked in SV - just curious why she's right and majority are wrong.

UnGravitas2• 12 years ago

I'm not sure if we read the same article, there seem to be several critiques:

1. Silicon valley imagines itself to be a meritocracy which is a harmful belief as this is not actually the case.

2. The pipeline problem is not the entirety of the problem and overstating it risks ignoring problems which people in tech can solve more easily.

3. Power and money are disproportionately in the hands of white men

Engaging with her points rather than ad hominem attacks and responding to tone might result in an interesting discussion.

omonra4• 12 years ago

My point is that she doesn't go beyond stating her views (and it's not like she has done anything of value that would make me respect her views on their own, sans proof).

Let's say I believe something that most people do not. If I want them to give me a chance, perhaps I should start with demonstrating why my theories are valid. If you read 'The Structure of Scientific Revolutions', Kuhn describes the process by which a scientific paradigm changes. And that starts with observations that do not fit with currently established models (as opposed to upstart scientists showing up and labeling everybody else a racist idiot).

Ie for every point you raised, where is the data that demonstrates that commonly held beliefs (that she disagrees with) are wrong?

mc32• 12 years ago

I think one of the problems reading the critique is that her points are buried in too much ranting and wild exaggerations, so it's off-putting.

The approach is good for politicking (soundbites and getting the choir feverish) but it takes from presenting reasonable ideas for regular people to consider and process and say, yeah, that makes sense, or no, that's not quite the way i see it.

That said, one approach garners thought conversation, the other garners lots more clicks.

mlichtenstern• 12 years ago

Who says she's not in the majority? That's exactly her point - that the majority does not get heard.

A Feminist Critique of Silicon Valley

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