Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

What happens when you were right?

Eg, as an SDE in 2017 you worked on Amazon Device’s econometrics team and were screaming the entire org was in trouble — but the PhD economists and directors ignored you.

We’re at 5 years, a gutted department, billions in losses, etc. Now what?

Or you warned WarnerMedia executives about their internal corporate misandry just before they fired Johnny Depp for being a male victim — and destroyed two tent pole properties in the process.

Or were at Amazon again and warned there’d be financial troubles circa start of 2022 based on unprofessional conduct in FinTech?

…what happens when you’re repeatedly right about multi-billion dollar mistakes before they happen, but your employer just doesn’t care?

I don’t want to participate in what I see at WarnerMedia, Amazon,… Target, Disney, Bud Light, etc.

I want to be able to say I did the right thing for shareholders — not shut my mouth and took the hush money to defraud them.




> …what happens when you’re repeatedly right about multi-billion dollar mistakes before they happen, but your employer just doesn’t care? > > I don’t want to participate in what I see at WarnerMedia, Amazon,… Target, Disney, Bud Light, etc. > > I want to be able to say I did the right thing for shareholders — not shut my mouth and took the hush money to defraud them.

If you truly think this, the only moral course of action for you is to immediately leave the company. Otherwise you're "fraudelently" continuing to take shareholder money. If you think the execs of your company give a shit, or will ever give a shit, about what employee #3141991403 thinks about the direction of your company, you're delusional.

If you want my opinion, just shut up and take the money. It's not your problem if shareholders make bad decisions. And besides, if it wasn't you, it'd be someone else.


I think you’re right in the aggregate and the abstract.

But it’s also funny that two of the situations you mentioned (Johnny Depp “victim” and Bud Light) are fake stories based on conservative media astroturfing where any judge would be hard pressed to find that there was unreasonable behaviour on the corporate end.

And of course, being a white knight only works if you’re privileged enough to be able to jump ship or fight your social wars and still have something to fall back on. Not everyone here is a US citizen with US resident parents and US college education, earns 6 figures, or has had decades of working experience to accumulate savings and make a CV.


WarnerMedia fired Johnny Depp based on unsubstantiated allegations from a woman who herself has a history of domestic violence and Mr Depp was subsequently found to have been defamed and awarded damages for that lost work.

WarnerMedia fired Mr Depp for mere allegations, but retained Ms Heard despite police reports documenting her abusing her girlfriend at an airport.

The sexism shown by WarnerMedia executives is not in the interests of shareholders — and is part of not only why WarnerMedia had to be sold off from ATT for a massive loss, but has failed to recover post merger with Discovery.

- - - - -

Similarly, Bud Light decided to endorse a controversial spokesman, call their core audience bigots when they objected, denigrated them as “fratty” and “out of touch”… then seemed confused when the people they were openly rude to stopped buying their product.

- - - - -

What particular facts do you believe I’m wrong about?

I’m curious — and explaining that is much more interesting than Poisoning the Well fallacies, such as calling things you disagree with “astroturf”.

- - - - -

Finally, that’s excuses: you made up a stereotype about who I am, then decided you can safely ignore my point because that stereotype doesn’t apply to you.


Hadn’t considered Pirates of the Caribbean as a loss in the Depp-Heard fight until just now, kinda sad.

Also like your use of tent-pole.


maybe I've read too many Taleb books, but can you put yourself in a position to bet against the stupidity? For example, take a short position on WarnerMedia/Amazon stock?


It would probably be safer to buy options instead of short-selling a stock, because with options your potential loss is limited and known.


You didn't reference Fat Tony or use a made-up word, you're still ok!




Join us for AI Startup School this June 16-17 in San Francisco!

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: