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Are Silicon Valley Workers Abandoning Libertarianism For Socialism? (salon.com)
Salon writes that Silicon Valley tech workers are "defying their overlords," arguing that recent unionization attempts by Kickstarter employees may be only the beginning:
The workers' Kickstarter campaign is not the first attempt, though, or even the first time rumblings of unionization, have circulated among programmers. In 2018, software engineers at the startup Lanetix announced their intent to unionize -- and were promptly fired by management (It is illegal to fire employees for trying to unionize). The National Labor Relations Board intervened, and ultimately forced Lanetix to pay the 15 fired engineers a total of $775,000. The show of worker power at Lanetix may have paved the way for Kickstarter's workers. Similarly, workers across the video game industry -- generally among the most overworked, underpaid workers within the tech industry -- have been making steps towards unionization. Game Workers Unite, profiled by Salon last year, is building a grassroots movement to organize the ranks of video game makers.
Together, this suggests that a small but visible movement for white-collar software engineers unionizing has been gaining steam in the Valley over the past few years -- suggesting that the people who make up the tech industry, once a bastion of libertarianism, are starting to understand the often subtle ways that their employers exploit them... For decades, libertarianism was part and parcel to the tech industry. Despite a grueling work culture and a high-profile collusion scandal among major tech corporations to suppress software engineers' wages, tech workers were more likely to see themselves as future founders than an exploited underclass -- a point of view encouraged by employers through high wages and generous, often absurd office perks. Recent developments suggest such endearing tactics are no longer working.
Together, this suggests that a small but visible movement for white-collar software engineers unionizing has been gaining steam in the Valley over the past few years -- suggesting that the people who make up the tech industry, once a bastion of libertarianism, are starting to understand the often subtle ways that their employers exploit them... For decades, libertarianism was part and parcel to the tech industry. Despite a grueling work culture and a high-profile collusion scandal among major tech corporations to suppress software engineers' wages, tech workers were more likely to see themselves as future founders than an exploited underclass -- a point of view encouraged by employers through high wages and generous, often absurd office perks. Recent developments suggest such endearing tactics are no longer working.
...introduced govt. support for unionisation as a way to save capitalism from itself. Without some form of constraint from the govt. or the workers or both, corporations were set to start a Bolshevik revolution. In other words, unions are what keep the Bolsheviks at bay.
It seems that every new generation of capitalists have to learn this the hard way: In the longer term, unions are the least bad option they have.
Debate is a form of harassment. Do not question my truth.
The Nazi part was the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei) - it's literally in the name. Learned that in history, it's a fact, not a talking point. You're entire argument is based on ignorance so profound that it actually boggles the mind.
they had a good laugh and the mayors have said sure, send 'em on over
There was a bit of apprehension because, well, immigrants are statistically less likely to commit crimes, so the only way this wouldn't backfire on Trump is if he took immigrants accused of violent crimes and released them intentionally. Yes, it does happen, albeit rarely, and yes, it's absolute madness to even suggest the President of the United States would do such a thing to score cheap political points, but in the era of Trump it seems like anything goes.
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Rarely have I seen such a short post make three points and get all three so very, very wrong.
Yes, that is socialism. But when young people say they want "socialism" that is not what they mean. They mean they want to be like Denmark: Capitalism with universal healthcare.
Well, perhaps if the GOP stopped demonizing a social safety net, perhaps the term wouldn't be so muddled.
That sounds great until the company has a bad quarter and your paycheck is $0. Ownership has a negative side as well.
The suits get a base pay plus options and bonuses, why not the workers? Ownership is not a novel idea, even in the US:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_employee-owned_companies
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worker_cooperative
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_worker_cooperatives
* https://hbr.org/2018/08/why-the-u-s-needs-more-worker-owned-companies
Or at least having workers represented on boards:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codetermination_in_Germany
Workers would be like temporary shareholders, gaining voting rights while joining a company That sounds great until the company has a bad quarter and your paycheck is $0. Ownership has a negative side as well.
If in doubt, make shit up based on how you want the world to be. Worker cooperatives are actually a thing and don't simply stop paying workers the instant profits are down. They are still companies so they still pay salaries.
SJW n. One who posts facts.
You are the oppressor, not the victim. Your backwards reference to Nazi behavior proves it.
Why is Snark Required?
Most people in the US who want "socialism" mean democratic socialism which has nothing to do with what has normally been called socialism.
Which makes sense. Some industries should simply not be operated for profit. A healthy and educated population directly benefits the society as a whole and should be funded by everyone not just something for those who can afford the luxury of not being sick or getting a good secondary education.
Prisons are another good example of something that should be run by the state in a way that benefits society. Instead of just locking people away giving them mental health treatment and legitimate education opportunities while they are incarcerated. When their sentence is complete allowing them to apply for jobs without having to say they are a convicted felon also helps. Reducing recidivism should be the main focus of our prisons beyond simply protecting society from people who commit crimes.
Unfettered capitalism is absolute shit. Unless capitalism is properly regulated it will degenerate into what we are currently headed for in the US with huge monopolies in many markets and with them interfering in our government by throwing large amounts of money at legislators. Making billions is fine but companies making a profit of $11 billion and paying $0 in taxes (Amazon) is not ok by any stretch of the imagination.
Socialism/Communism will never work. Not in any fantasy can it work. Not with human beings involved. Every time a country tries it they end up with horrible people in charge taking everything they can from the people doing all the work and barely getting by. Find a way to remove humans from socialism/communism and it could actually work.
How fucking detached from reality are you?
You're competing for work with people earning $8k/year. Even in the US over half of households have less than $60k/year income. That's households, not individual salaries.
$100-200k/year is a great salary. If you can't afford to live on that the issue is not the fucking salary.
"people at the bottom of the economy are better off then those in the same situation in the US"
Aside from likely-covered healthcare, that's not actually true. The "poor" in the US are far more likely to have air conditioning, own their home, 1 or 2 cars, a computer, internet connection, and a number of other life pleasantries as well as a larger average living space than the European "middle class".
And remember, this is with a heavier tax burden and a country which has likely under-spent four decades on defense so when it matters....good luck with that.
-Styopa
Really? You're using the spectacularly dysfunctional American healthcare system as an example of capitalism _working well_? Really?!
I'm a Yank; but, I spent a lot of time in Europe a couple of years ago -- spending the better part of a year in various Eastern and Western nations. In my opinion, Required Snark is correct.
Getting to know the locals, I noticed how much less cluttered their lives often seemed to be. This was true in both the East and the West. There were lovely apartments and lots of fancy cars, along with middle-grade housing and plebeian autos, flat panel televisions, computers, and smart phones. But, it was very apparent that my American lifestyle, by comparison, was just crammed with crap.
One thing that was consistent: the Europeans I met were just plain puzzled by the United States. In particular, our brutal form of capitalism, and our perverse fascination with guns.
The new slashdot handlers need to come up with better headlines.
The answer is No.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
No.
"in the vast majority of cases, that the story is tendentious or over-sold. It is often a scare story, or an attempt to elevate some run-of-the-mill piece of reporting into a national controversy and, preferably, a national panic. To a busy journalist hunting for real information a question mark means 'don't bother reading this bit'"
** Marr, Andrew (2004). My Trade: a short history of British journalism. London: Macmillan. p. 253. ISBN 978-1-4050-0536-4.
~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.