We are a political monoculture thats intolerant of different views. We claim to welcome all perspectives, but are quick to attackoften in mobsanyone who presents a view that appears to be in opposition to left-leaning ideology. We throw labels that end in *obe and *ist at each other, attacking each others character rather than their ideas.
We do this so consistently that employees are afraid to say anything when they disagree with whats around them politically. HR has told me that this is not a rare concern, and Ive personally gotten over a hundred messages to that effect. Your colleagues are afraid because they know that they not their ideas will be attacked. They know that all the talk of openness to different perspectives does not apply to causes of social justice, immigration, diversity, and equality. On this issues, you can either keep quiet or sacrifice your reputation and career.
These are not fears without cause. Because we tear down posters welcoming Trump supporters. We regularly propose removing Thiel from our board because he supported Trump. Were quick to suggest firing people who turn out to be misunderstood, and even quicker to conclude our colleagues are bigots. We have made All Lives Matter a fireable offense. We put Palmer Luckey through a witch hunt because he paid for anti-Hillary ads. We write each other ad-hoc feedback in the PSC tool for having offensive ideas. We ask HR to investigate those who dare to criticize Islams human rights record for creating a non inclusive environment. And they called me a transphobe when I called out our corporate art for being politically radical.
WHY THIS MATTERS
This is not okay. Not just for our internal culture, but for our own viability as a company. While the problem isnt unique to us, we are entrusted by a great part of the world to be impartial and transparent carriers of peoples stories, ideas, and commentary. Congress doesnt think we can do this. The President doesnt think we can do this. And like them or not, we deserve that criticism. We are blind to and dismissive of what people beyond our walls (let alone even within our walls) think about complex issues that matter. Ive been here for nearly 6.5 years and this has gotten exponentially worse in the last 2.
FBers for Political Diversity
I dont know how to fix this problem on my own. What I do know is that these issues cant be fixed if we continue to be isolated and silent. So thats what this group is for: (a) to be a space where you can talk about these issues without fear of the mob, and in the process (b) to talk about how we can fix this.
If youre interested in helping make Facebook a company thats more tolerant and active-minded about different political and ideological perspectives, join FBers for Political Diversity.
Theres only going to be one core rule in the group, and its that if you attack a persons character, rather than their ideas, you will be banned.
Lets see where this goes.
tl;dr: About 100 Facebook employees start/join an internal employee group calling for more acceptance of conservative viewpoints and not shutting out the company's conservative executives.