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0 pointsbambamb7y ago0 comments

It amazes me that someone as intelligent as this guy can say something asinine as “as a white man I know I can negotiate without backlash.” Not only is there no evidence to support this, he seems completely oblivious to the fact that he is not a representative white man at all. He has written widely used books on JavaScript! Don’t you think THAT might be the reason he can negotiate without backlash rather than his race and sex which he has in common with probably half of all applicants? Please don’t paint all of us just average, struggling white men as undeserving and privileged just because you have been extremely fortunate and successful.

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3 comments · 2 top-level

BowBun7y ago· 1 in thread

At the risk of opening a can of worms, I think the author is right and you are contributing to the systemic issue by trying to deflect their mention of privilege. If you are a white male, you have privilege. I don't think OP would ever say that's the only factor to their success, but recognizing privilege and where you have taken advantage of it in life is healthy progress towards equality.

http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2007-13393-007 is a study that indicates that women tend to not negotiate as much for fear of reprisal. Not having to face that inequality as a man who is expected to be 'assertive' and to 'tell it straight' is the definition of privilege.

hudon7y ago

Anecdotal but at my previous employer, women and some racial minorities were given a higher score during interviews because of their gender or race (this was explicit) and white men were de-prioritized. It was actually a disadvantage to be white.

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swat5357y ago

Please do not derail yet another discussion by posting a flaming comment. Not everything has to be related to sex, gender, equality and so on.

I wholeheartedly agree that they are critical issues, but that being said, there is a time and place and those are important issues but really..

This is not it.

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