Let’s Stop Talking About the Sexism in Venture (opens in new tab)

(linkedin.com)

2 pointsjssmith8y ago2 comments

2 comments

"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." - Goodhart's Law

Hiring a minority individual because they are a minority individual and it makes you look better, marginalizes everything else that person is. Which only serves to exacerbate the issue that this action is supposed to be solving.

jssmithOP8y ago

Great observation. So if we have to choose between diversity as a target and as a measure, which would be better ?

I wouldn't take the comparison to affirmative action too far here. Our startup / VC ecosystem exists to drive radical progress and to achieve success where it seems unlikely. So let's go for it and get creative.

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2 comments

tbirrell8y ago

"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure." - Goodhart's Law

jssmithOP8y ago

Great observation. So if we have to choose between diversity as a target and as a measure, which would be better ?

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse