Making Sense with Sam Harris #253 — Corporate Courage
Jun 17, 2021
Jason Fried, co-founder and CEO of Basecamp, dives into the controversial 'no politics' policy at his company. He shares his views on the impact of social justice activism on institutions and critiques how politics has taken on a religious fervor. The conversation navigates the challenges of remote work, the parallels between social media use and smoking, and the complexities of hiring in a politically charged landscape. Fried also touches on antitrust issues and the implications of wealth tax proposals for the economic elite.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
The "No Politics" Policy Fallout
- Basecamp announced a "no politics" policy, causing about 20 employees (a third of the workforce) to leave.
- This followed internal debates about a list of "funny-sounding" customer names and an employee's apology invoking the ADL pyramid of hate.
Escalation and Overreaction
- An employee’s apology for the "funny names" list included the ADL pyramid of hate, suggesting a link to genocide.
- This incident highlighted the escalating nature of internal discussions and the need for proportionate responses.
Twitter's Role in the Controversy
- Some employees faced accusations of racism and fascism for not publicly condemning the company's actions.
- Twitter amplified the outrage and contributed to a toxic environment of shame and bullying, pressuring employees to leave.
