There’s a vast world of small companies that are managed and staffed by people who have better things to do than to imagine they are saving the world from people like you.
Great article, David. I also will not do business with or work for any so-called DEI company that seeks to cram its Unconstitutional ideas down other people’s throat. If that’s their decision, so be it, but it will never receive a dime from me!
Bitter indeed. I read it with great interest, and I left this comment:
Your story here is about age discrimination in sexy industries like aerospace. Such industries tend to be heavily associated with government contracts, which is the cause of many of their management problems. I don't know your specific skill set, but I never faced age discrimination because 1) as a computer programmer there was always more demand for programmers than could be met and 2) as a "senior", I was known for fixing intractable problems caused by the younger guys. My final employer was sad to see me go, even though I was probably the highest-paid guy on their tech staff.
The world is full of non-sexy factories and other companies that need practical work done, with interesting problems to solve. A great way into these places is via contracting firms. There are plenty of such VERY small firms where experience is valued and almost all the staff is gray-haired. Find a very small contracting house that matches your skills to companies that need them. When you do this, you skip all the absurdity of large-company HR practices because you're not their employee. You don't have to care when one job ends because there's another one waiting. Oh yes, and be sure you skip the Woke lunacy: "Workplaces to Avoid if you are White, Male, or Straight": https://daveziffer.substack.com/p/workplaces-to-avoid-if-you-are-white
Glad you're addressing this subject. I enjoyed reading about your personal experiences and your advice. I'm sure you're aware, but in case some are not, I would recommend listening to interviews of Heather MacDonald about this issue and her book, When Race Trumps Merit. It'll put quite the fear into you.
The problem is, government and big business are using DEI as a means to weed out white conservatives, generally republicans, and replace them with democrats. I have to suggest that, if you are white and feeling the pressure, do NOT capitulate. Hang in there and make noise. SUE!
The woke folk will grab whatever they can take, until we stop them.
I understand your sentiment, but I've fought losing battles against institutional enemies before and I can tell you it's pointless; all I ended up doing was robbing myself and my family of time I should have spent productively. Why put yourself through the humiliation you'll suffer at their hands and then end up losing a pointless battle? Your best satisfaction, in my opinion, is to deny the lunatics access to your talents, and to be working with sane people in those small environments that might appreciate you.
In a sense, I've done the same. I left teaching and went into business for myself.
But when we leave, somebody else take our place. With DEI, it won't be an equitable distribution of diversity, it will be democrat partisans. I don't have the data in front of me, but a ginormous number of new Fortune 500 hires are of progressives, as in over 90%.
In totalitarian countries such as China and Russia, you must be a member of the communist party to hold any significant position in government or business. We should find that revolting, in a 'free' society. But we are just inches away from that ourselves, as some here have attested to.
This won't fix itself. We are headed for one party totalitarianism. And as they say, you can vote yourself into totalitarianism, but you have to shoot your way out.
I get your point. But it doesn't take a time commitment to oppose DEI.
As for giving in rather than fighting, again, I get your point. But people giving is how Hitler came to power. We can't just hope that all gets better on its own, because it won't.
Perhaps I should have expanded more on this in the article. My first "real" job was as a programmer at AT&T/Bell Labs in 1977. At the time I didn't yet understand AT&T's cozy relationship with the government, under which Congress gave AT&T legalized monopoly status in return for AT&T providing universal phone service. Because of this relationship AT&T functioned essentially as an extension of the federal government and so it was required to observe all of the federal government's religious rites, most especially the rite of "Affirmative Action". Under "Affirmative Action", all of us white males were periodically herded into rooms where managers informed us that it was part of our jobs to tolerate a second-class status in which we would be passed over for raises, promotions, and other benefits, which was imposed upon us for the original sin of having been born white males. After I left AT&T in 1983 I decided that I would never again tolerate forced indoctrination and discrimination at any workplace, so I made a promise to myself: for the rest of my career I would never work for any government agency or any government contractor or subcontractor, all of whom were (and are) required to implement Affirmative Action programs. This meant that I would never work for any large company. I retired in February 2020 having kept my promise and my self-respect. I recommend that you do the same. Never work for a company that has enforced "diversity" brainwashing. You can probably find small companies that respect their employees and stick to the knitting. If you can't, start your own (I did several times). Nothing is worth being stripped of your personhood. Do the right thing and GET THE HELL OUT. The deranged Cult of Identity Politics doesn't deserve your services.
"all of us white males were periodically herded into rooms where managers informed us that it was part of our jobs to tolerate a second-class status in which we would be passed over for raises, promotions, and other benefits"
--- Interesting. I wonder how white males consistenly remained at the top of AT&T/Bell and all American corporations from then til now despite being passed over for raises. promotions and other benefits.
"I wonder how white males consistenly (sic) remained at the top of AT&T/Bell and all American corporations from then til now..."
Are you unable to imagine- or, better yet, see- how those at the top play the game/kowtow to preserve their place at the top? DEI tactics rarely apply to/ affect the generals. It's the foot soldiers that pay the price in these wars.
The complicit "managers" referred to are likely often trying to claw their way up, so as to not be sacrificed in the battles...
No it's not. My question wasn't specifically about Bell, neither were your claims about DEI and larger companies. Do white men primarily remain the dominant demographic in the top 3 levels and mid-management at a large majority of medium to large companies and corporations in 2024?
Great article, David. I also will not do business with or work for any so-called DEI company that seeks to cram its Unconstitutional ideas down other people’s throat. If that’s their decision, so be it, but it will never receive a dime from me!
My recent experience with "woke." Warning, very bitter rant.
https://open.substack.com/pub/gregorycecil/p/voted-off-the-island?r=bnjy5&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Bitter indeed. I read it with great interest, and I left this comment:
Your story here is about age discrimination in sexy industries like aerospace. Such industries tend to be heavily associated with government contracts, which is the cause of many of their management problems. I don't know your specific skill set, but I never faced age discrimination because 1) as a computer programmer there was always more demand for programmers than could be met and 2) as a "senior", I was known for fixing intractable problems caused by the younger guys. My final employer was sad to see me go, even though I was probably the highest-paid guy on their tech staff.
The world is full of non-sexy factories and other companies that need practical work done, with interesting problems to solve. A great way into these places is via contracting firms. There are plenty of such VERY small firms where experience is valued and almost all the staff is gray-haired. Find a very small contracting house that matches your skills to companies that need them. When you do this, you skip all the absurdity of large-company HR practices because you're not their employee. You don't have to care when one job ends because there's another one waiting. Oh yes, and be sure you skip the Woke lunacy: "Workplaces to Avoid if you are White, Male, or Straight": https://daveziffer.substack.com/p/workplaces-to-avoid-if-you-are-white
Old Space Cadet is arguing for DEI for old people.
Glad you're addressing this subject. I enjoyed reading about your personal experiences and your advice. I'm sure you're aware, but in case some are not, I would recommend listening to interviews of Heather MacDonald about this issue and her book, When Race Trumps Merit. It'll put quite the fear into you.
Heather is one of my faves. Thanks!
Well written!
Great piece David! Keep it up!
The problem is, government and big business are using DEI as a means to weed out white conservatives, generally republicans, and replace them with democrats. I have to suggest that, if you are white and feeling the pressure, do NOT capitulate. Hang in there and make noise. SUE!
The woke folk will grab whatever they can take, until we stop them.
I understand your sentiment, but I've fought losing battles against institutional enemies before and I can tell you it's pointless; all I ended up doing was robbing myself and my family of time I should have spent productively. Why put yourself through the humiliation you'll suffer at their hands and then end up losing a pointless battle? Your best satisfaction, in my opinion, is to deny the lunatics access to your talents, and to be working with sane people in those small environments that might appreciate you.
In a sense, I've done the same. I left teaching and went into business for myself.
But when we leave, somebody else take our place. With DEI, it won't be an equitable distribution of diversity, it will be democrat partisans. I don't have the data in front of me, but a ginormous number of new Fortune 500 hires are of progressives, as in over 90%.
In totalitarian countries such as China and Russia, you must be a member of the communist party to hold any significant position in government or business. We should find that revolting, in a 'free' society. But we are just inches away from that ourselves, as some here have attested to.
This won't fix itself. We are headed for one party totalitarianism. And as they say, you can vote yourself into totalitarianism, but you have to shoot your way out.
Perhaps if you’re independently wealthy and time-rich, this is a worthy endeavor. Otherwise, the author of this piece hits the nail on the head.
I get your point. But it doesn't take a time commitment to oppose DEI.
As for giving in rather than fighting, again, I get your point. But people giving is how Hitler came to power. We can't just hope that all gets better on its own, because it won't.
Why did you oppose Affirmative Action in the '70s?
Perhaps I should have expanded more on this in the article. My first "real" job was as a programmer at AT&T/Bell Labs in 1977. At the time I didn't yet understand AT&T's cozy relationship with the government, under which Congress gave AT&T legalized monopoly status in return for AT&T providing universal phone service. Because of this relationship AT&T functioned essentially as an extension of the federal government and so it was required to observe all of the federal government's religious rites, most especially the rite of "Affirmative Action". Under "Affirmative Action", all of us white males were periodically herded into rooms where managers informed us that it was part of our jobs to tolerate a second-class status in which we would be passed over for raises, promotions, and other benefits, which was imposed upon us for the original sin of having been born white males. After I left AT&T in 1983 I decided that I would never again tolerate forced indoctrination and discrimination at any workplace, so I made a promise to myself: for the rest of my career I would never work for any government agency or any government contractor or subcontractor, all of whom were (and are) required to implement Affirmative Action programs. This meant that I would never work for any large company. I retired in February 2020 having kept my promise and my self-respect. I recommend that you do the same. Never work for a company that has enforced "diversity" brainwashing. You can probably find small companies that respect their employees and stick to the knitting. If you can't, start your own (I did several times). Nothing is worth being stripped of your personhood. Do the right thing and GET THE HELL OUT. The deranged Cult of Identity Politics doesn't deserve your services.
"all of us white males were periodically herded into rooms where managers informed us that it was part of our jobs to tolerate a second-class status in which we would be passed over for raises, promotions, and other benefits"
--- Interesting. I wonder how white males consistenly remained at the top of AT&T/Bell and all American corporations from then til now despite being passed over for raises. promotions and other benefits.
"I wonder how white males consistenly (sic) remained at the top of AT&T/Bell and all American corporations from then til now..."
Are you unable to imagine- or, better yet, see- how those at the top play the game/kowtow to preserve their place at the top? DEI tactics rarely apply to/ affect the generals. It's the foot soldiers that pay the price in these wars.
The complicit "managers" referred to are likely often trying to claw their way up, so as to not be sacrificed in the battles...
So the top 3 tiers and mid-management is still dominated primarily by white males even in 2024?
It's a moot question. Bell Labs was sold years ago to Alcatel and then to Lucent; it no longer exists in any recognizable form.
No it's not. My question wasn't specifically about Bell, neither were your claims about DEI and larger companies. Do white men primarily remain the dominant demographic in the top 3 levels and mid-management at a large majority of medium to large companies and corporations in 2024?