Let’s Talk about the Sexism in Computer Building
The opportunity to build computers exists for women as much as for men. Just because it has been a man’s hobby for so long does not mean it needs to remain so. Times change, and computer building has changed too.
Linus Tech Tips YouTube channel being a little less than conscientious about this issue…
Ever notice how most computer building videos are by men and for men? There are some women building computers too, but they don’t receive nearly the same number of views. It’s a man’s world, and along with car repair how-to’s and Overwatch gameplay videos, you would think that computer building is a male-dominated hobby.
Even the few videos that women have made to showcase their own builds are filled with hesitation and excuses. Along with the repetitive mentions that they will make mistakes, almost all these videos are filled with uncertainly and doubt. Of course, this is part of a systemic problem, one that I intend to address below.
Now I’m sure that most professional computer building channels on YouTube don’t mean to be sexist about it. To be fair, most are very informative channels, but it’s not often we see a woman there. If we do, it is usually in a “supportive role”, to do a product pitch, or as someone who “needs help.”
The fact is, this obliviousness on the part of men is sexist too. That’s right, it’s privilege. Men don’t have to think about it, so they don’t. Unfortunately, by ignoring the issue, they help perpetuate it. This is a shame and something we should actively work to change.
Why does this matter?
This division between male and female roles harks back to early childhood when boys played with Legos and girls with dolls. In other words: boys build, girls comfort. You can’t comfort a computer, so that leaves girls out of this hobby. As they grow older, that discrepancy grows.
Over time, it becomes a more insidious issue. Building something gives one ownership and power over that which is built. After all, if you build something from the ground up like you would a computer, it helps you understand how all the parts are interconnected and dependent on each other. As a result, that greater understanding, gives you control and yes, also power, over it.
Building computers should not be gender-biased…
Image courtesy of pixabay.com
Denying women the same opportunities essentially also denies them that understanding and power. This then perpetuates the dependence on men to help with computer maintenance over time. While I’m sure there are some women reading this thinking that they are perfectly fine leaving all that tech to men, it does beg the question, should they be fine with it?
This division of interest can develop into larger ramifications. As women move up in organizations and corporations, the dependency remains. Even a female CEO will defer more readily to a (typically male) CIO about technical matters. The dependence becomes hard-wired in the mind, and they are perpetually at a disadvantage because of it.
It is also the case that the other men around the female CEO expect this behavior. It is hard-wired in their minds too. It becomes institutionalized sexism. It makes even the most senior women in our society not just perpetually dependent on men, but makes those men think that they should be. Ultimately, it makes it that much more difficult for a woman to be in a leadership position.
OK, but this is much bigger than building computers, right?
Yes, it is. However along with starting girls on playing with the same Legos at an early age, to encouraging them to develop STEM interests later, building computers is also an educational process.
Most people building computers are young gamers – there is an entire industry and subculture around this hobby. It is the reason that the only computer magazines (once in the dozens) that are still thriving are the ones for this hobby. Building computers can be part of that education. Girls need to see that they can be part of it, and boys need to see this as normal.
In addition to the socio-psychological benefits of computer building, it also develops critical skills. It is a very mechanical process – everything fits in specific ways. It develops 3-dimensional thinking, it involves problem solving skills, and it requires knowledge of related technologies relevant to a future career. These include knowledge of computer operating systems, cooling and airflow dynamics, as well as design and engineering considerations that impact how the computer operates.
Let’s choose your character for this game…
Image courtesy of pixabay.com
There is another benefit in encouraging girls to build computers: it addresses the very serious sexism and misogyny in related industries, for example in gaming. This has been talked about quite a bit, but if this is news to you, here’s a quick video about what female gamers deal with: The Dark Side Of Gaming - The Females Fighting Back (contains offensive language). Yes, there is still a long way to go in the gaming industry, but if more women build their own gaming computers, then there will also be more empowered girls playing those games with those computers.
Changing gaming environments will encourage girls to participate and to be seen as part of the community. It will also encourage more of them to become game developers and develop interests in other computer-related fields. Maybe we’ll eventually even see a female tech billionaire in space…
What is encouraging is that there are now about as many women playing computer games as there are men. This is a huge change from just a few years ago. As a result, sexism and misogyny is increasingly being frowned upon in this industry. Yes, this is what happens when there is parity between males and females in any environment. Now let’s see if we can change the balance in computer building as well.
All right, but I’m not a gamer
I went into detail about gaming because it is one industry related to computer building that has thrived in recent years. Fortunately for everyone, this has also had a positive effect on the building of computers for non-gamers. Consequently, this helps the industry grow more and the positive cycle perpetuates itself.
For one, there are many more resources for computer builders. Parts are easier to find online, tutorials are all over YouTube (granted most are still by men), and documentation and specs for these parts are easily found as well. This makes it much easier for young people to find the parts they need to build their computers.
There are also many more ways to customize the computers to fit the builder’s personal style and taste. Here are some examples of what computers can look like:
There is also a new trend to make computers blend into our lifestyles and be more furniture-like, complete with wood sides and rounded edges.
Move over, Apple! With so many options, there is a much wider array of styles that computer builders can chose from. It no longer needs to be a big, heavy, square metallic box.
For those that want to build their own cases, there are several plans available online for people to 3D print their own parts and even entire cases. Or if 3D printing is too tedious, you can also buy the case in parts and build that yourself.
The point is that while these computers can certainly be used for gamers, they don’t have to be. More importantly, it is no longer necessary to buy a boring Dell, HP or Lenovo box that is pre-assembled for you. There are many more and interesting choices.
This brings me to another important point. Choice is typically not something that girls are given, at least not as often as boys. Instead, the choice is made for them, especially when it comes to technology. Buying a pre-made computer is another way to reinforce that deception: give girls just something pre-decided for them.
OK, but I’m not young, either.
Well, to begin, youth is only a mindset. There are many older adults building computers. Consequently, many are also gamers, but we’ve already covered that. There are even online groups for elderly gamers and computer builders, and they are growing. As the saying goes, you are never too old to learn.
One the other hand, you could also build a computer together with your daughter. This doesn’t mean you need to do it all for her, either. Let her take the lead while you provide the guidance to pick the right parts, find a look that she likes, and let her install the software that she chooses.
Above all, allow her to make some mistakes along the way, because that is the best way to learn. We stereotypically say that healthy boys should have a few bumps and bruises, but girls should be protected.
Well, this is also faulty logic when it comes to computer building. As long as they don’t injure themselves, girls should be allowed to install the fans backwards, break a plastic clip, and crash a system by overclocking too aggressively. When boys do this, we dismiss it as boys-will-be-boys mistakes, so why not do the same for girls?
Image courtesy of pexels.com
In adulthood, computer building has many benefits for women as well. This is especially true for self-employed women. Small business owners, graphic designer, YouTubers, and many people in the Gig Economy are building their own computers, and you can too. This is because computer building will enrich your life in many ways:
You will better understand what is inside your computer
You will have a new computer to use, probably better than the one you’re using now
You won’t be shy about opening it back up for repairs and upgrades
You’ll know when a slick salesman is trying to sell junk tech
You will have found a new community online of people just like yourself
You will reduce your dependence on someone else for computer help
You will gain a sense of accomplishment and pride
And of course, you can now also play Fortnite like a pro!
It’s not difficult either. Other than a computer being a bit smaller, it is not too different from assembling Ikea furniture. You know that feeling when you tighten that last screw? Well, that’s the same feeling you get after completing a computer build. Just watch some YouTube videos on how to do this – there is one for just about every part you will install.
By the way, if you work in a specialized field that requires high-performance computing, like graphic design, database management, programming, music/video production, photography, then you need to build your own computer.
This is because that pre-built computer from a major manufacturer is not going to be customized to your profession’s specific needs. When you build your own computer, you learn why certain parts are more important than others and this will save you time, money, and frustration.
Most importantly, if you are a parent, you’ll be setting an example to your children that computer building is something women can do as well. When they see that this is normal and encouraged, they will expect the same when they go out into the world to study, find work, and build their own dreams.
Conclusion
Building computers is not just about gaming. While there is much we can thank gaming for, such as growing this industry and pushing performance, it also has its dark side as we have seen. So, we need to take the good and shed the bad from gaming.
One such good is the wonderful opportunity it gives us to build our own computers. In a world where most other products are pre-assembled and dumbed down to appeal to a larger number of average consumers, it is refreshing that computer building is going in a different direction. Instead of wallowing in average, it gives everyone an opportunity to excel and rise above mediocrity.
This opportunity exists for women as much as for men. Just because it has been a man’s hobby for so long does not mean it needs to remain so. Times change, and computer building has changed too. If the gaming industry can grow it’s share of women to outnumber men, then this can also happen for computer building. There are simply too many benefits to building computers.
So, women and girls of the world: start building!
Where the Great Resignation, the Gig Economy and Pay Inequity for Women Collide
If current trends prevail, more women than men will enter the career workforce while the gig economy will gain more men. Over time, this should alleviate gender inequities in both workforces.
Image courtesy of pexels.com
Pay inequity between men and women in the workplace was never adequately addressed by past administrations. Men still earn more than women in most professions and the labor force is not equipped to deal with an additional crisis that could compound the problem. One such crisis has been the Covid-19 pandemic and how it has impacted labor.
The Great Resignation
There has been quite a bit of coverage on the shortage of skilled labor that resulted from the pandemic, also called the Great Resignation. Large employers are finding that the lockdowns gave many people who were furloughed or laid-off time to find alternate work and to re-evaluate their work-life-balance.
For the millions who were fortunate enough to continue to work, many did so remotely. It also opened their eyes to a new way to think about work-life balance. As with those who left their jobs, they found conveniences they perhaps had not noticed before.
For example, they spent more time with their families. They appreciated not having to commute to work. They noticed that excessive consumption could be reduced – eating outside the home became less common and shopping less of a regular pass-time. Finally, despite the misgivings of managers, they found that they could be more productive working from home.
Now that lockdowns are being lifted, many people are opting not to return to their old jobs or to remain remote. For companies across the US, this is creating a significant shortage of qualified and present labor. Their workforce is not returning to pre-pandemic levels, and this is then also further impacting economic recovery.
The Gig Economy
It should be no surprise that the Great Resignation is in turn swelling the ranks of the gig economy. Many workers who were laid off turned hobbies into businesses to make ends meet. Others re-honed their skills to be able to continue the work they did for their old company, but now they did it for themselves. Even those who continued to work remotely took on side-jobs because they had extra time to do so.
In short, they became part of the gig economy. While the gig economy was already growing before the pandemic, the lockdowns put that growth into overdrive. Many highly skilled former employees also found that in addition to the freedom afforded by working for themselves, they were also able to charge more for their work.
This is now like a candle that burns on both ends, because as companies are now short on labor, they are willing to pay even more for that labor. So supply meets demand, especially in high-skilled fields like engineering, medicine, law, accounting, and tech/computing. Obviously, these new members of the gig economy are asking themselves a very pertinent question: should they return to their old jobs?
Obviously, many people will. After all, running a business is additional work on top of the skilled labor that is involved. Those old jobs are now also being offered with higher salaries, bonuses, and more benefits than before. On the other hand, many people will not return. It is still too soon to tell what the final ratio will be.
What we do know is that the gig economy is growing much faster than before the pandemic. This is a trend and one that is changing the entire discussion about labor in this country, and not just in management. There is a soul-searching happening with workers everywhere about what their labor is worth.
This is question not just for labor, but it also impacts what goods and services are worth – it is a paradigm shift in the economy. If these questions are also coupled with previous questions about labor, this becomes a very universal development. Before the pandemic, there were questions about the environmental impact of our means of production, the way it influenced conflicts around the world, as well as the very real question about labor equity.
Gender Equity
Considering this paradigm shift in our understanding of labor, we can look closer to home to see what is happening with one specific aspect of labor equity, and that is pay equity. We can look at this because it is something that has been discussed quite a bit already, it has been researched and there are some very important trends that we already have available to us.
Without citing the myriad sources, we know that women are not paid the same as men by large employers. Our failure to address this more aggressively has raised the awareness of this disparity and it is not in question. So how will this collide with the Great Resignation and the growth in the gig economy?
For one, because more men were in higher-paid and skilled positions before, it follows that more men were laid off, furloughed, or sent to work remotely from those jobs; it’s a direct correlation. It is just a fact that in the US more women stayed home before the pandemic.
As these laid-off, furloughed and remote workers joined the gig economy to make ends meet, it is likely that women in those households started to take a more active role in those businesses to help with expenses. It is also likely that many women formed new businesses on their own to help.
The economic difficulties of the pandemic were shared by all in the household… but inevitably so were the benefits of being in the gig economy. Both men and women acquired new skills to make ends meet. However, what was likely to be a status demotion for the men, this was a status upgrade for the women.
There are many ways we can evaluate status, but let’s just focus on pay. Whereas the men likely found a pay deficit by switching to the gig economy – an inevitability when starting a business – the women found a pay surplus. For many women who had not been in the workforce, this was now an opportunity to earn income.
Statistically, women working from home were already a large part of the gig economy before the pandemic, but the lockdowns created a drastic need to grow these “side-hustles” into much more prominent businesses. It was a forced upgrade, you might say.
Another aspect of this trend is that because of the economic need that the lockdowns created, these women also acquired new skills and did so faster than before. Not only did those skills helped grow the business, but it also creates a new skilled labor force that was not there before.
How all three factors will collide
It seems that news media prefers to discuss The Great Resignation, the gig economy, and the Gender Pay Gap in isolation, conveniently into small digestible stories that exist on their own. However, that is not reality – trends cannot be understood in isolation because they collide with each other. This is also the case here.
The women who previously stayed home are now more skilled. While many of them will continue in the gig economy, there will also be many who will be attracted to the higher salaries now being offered by employers desperate to fill open job positions.
Many of those employers will even offer more flexible hours, more remote work opportunities and different benefits that compare to those seen in the gig economy to attract these employees. They may even lower the skill requirements, thus opening the opportunity for more people to apply.
While many men will also be applying for their old jobs, this will create more competition for those jobs. More skilled workers to fill each job should help reduce demand over time, so the situation for employers is not as bleak. However, what will change is that more women will be entering the workforce at larger companies than before. While we can’t yet know the new ratios of men-to-women, the trend is there.
For their part, many men may opt to stay in the gig economy. It may not even be a choice either, since the job market will become more competitive with more applicants, but the longer that they are not working in that position, the more their own skills will become outdated.
In the end, they may prefer becoming the stay-at-home parent. The many benefits of being a gig worker may outweigh the advantages of working for an employer. The decision also becomes an economic one for the whole household. With the woman either earning more than before in the home business or working for an employer at a higher salary, the lower salary of the man may not be as difficult to bear for the entire household.
The result is that if current trends prevail, more women will be employed at larger companies in the future. This should generate more interest in promoting gender equity in the workplace, should be accompanied by more salary equity, and most importantly should alleviate the labor shortage over time and continuing the economic recovery we all would like to see.
Conclusion
I realize that these are very general observations based on trends culled from the very popular media that I deride for being a bit siloed in their perspective. Moreover, the description of women and their role is very traditional, and some might even say offensive. This doesn’t even scratch the surface of gender roles as they relate to gender self-identity, issues that are well beyond the scope of this article.
As such, I do not deny those criticisms.
Like trends, however, they do have considerable truth to them. Women are being paid less in the workplace, they are not compensated for traditional home-related work, and they represented most people doing side-hustles and part-time work. None of this is fair and it should be corrected.
My hope is that the current trends help bring about those changes over time. Perhaps it is an exasperation that government has not brought about enough change for women in the past. If so, these trends might help level the playing field, which should be good for companies as well.
It is not yet clear how much these trends will change the nature of labor. It is not even clear how much they will change the discussion about labor. It’s quite possible that the change will occur slowly and without much fanfare at all. We may not even notice anything.
If so, that would be a pity as well. We need to be talking about these trends. Likewise, savvy companies as well as gig workers need to understand these trends so that they can better prepare for where they are headed. These trends will impact everyone at some level, even if it’s just because a Starbucks Latte will cost twice in a few years than it did before the pandemic.
It is difficult to see a sea change when riding on top of the wave, but it doesn’t mean you aren’t moving forward very fast.
Gig Work is Not Slave Labor
The idea that being part of the gig economy is somehow negative or deficient is a huge misunderstanding of who gig workers are, what their working conditions are, and how they are compensated.
Clip Title: GIGS UP! UC AFT Lecturers FIGHT GIG Slave Labor
I was recently sent a video clip of lecturer David Walter at UC Berkeley representing the UC-AFT union. He explains that lecturers have not received benefits and that their contracts are written so that they expire before they can be considered employees. This is the plight of all gig workers, so I can fully sympathize with his frustrations.
However, about a minute into the clip, he says, that they are treated as “a gig labor force, basically.” The title of the clip even equates gig work with slave labor. Now, hold on a minute. It’s clear that he sees being part of the gig economy as a negative thing. Maybe being “gig” is beneath a UC lecturer?
Now we’ve been saying for years that adjunct faculty, such as the lecturer position he describes, is part of the gig economy. Yes, this is the reality for millions of us. We work on a contract basis, usually without benefits and the appointment is typically short. Welcome to the club, but don’t insult the rest of us who are here.
Working at UC
I should clarify that I am a former career employee of the UC System. My experience, however, was as a staff person, not a lecturer, so I cannot speak to the specific situation that David Walter finds himself in. If there is significant pay inequity between lecturers and tenured faculty, then this should be corrected.
Gig employees typically are paid a higher rate than their career counterparts so that they can cover the additional expenses of benefits, which they typically pay for themselves. That is the whole idea behind gig work. With the flexibility of being able to work on temporary assignments, those are the “advantages” of being part of the gig economy.
UC has hired gig workers to supplement staff work for as long as I can remember. In my field, IT, these gig workers were always paid very well. Whether this was always a good return on investment for UC is beyond the scope of this article, but I do know that in my experience the projects were typically completed well and within the required timeframe.
According to David Walter, that does not seem to be the case with lecturers. If so, I fully support the complaint of the UC-AFT union. They should be able to collectively bargain for equitable pay. That is what they are there for, and they should do what they must to achieve their goals.
The problem
Obviously, I take umbrage with associating the word “gig” with a negative state of work. I do not agree that this should be so. As a matter of fact, I believe that being part of the gig economy should be a positive thing. The gig workforce includes highly educated, skilled and professional people. Likewise, the fact that it is temporary in no way diminishes its value.
Therefore, I also take issue with the demand from UC-AFT to have permanence of employment. What they are asking for is to become career/tenured faculty with benefits. If so, then they should also accept that they cannot ask for higher salaries.
Gig workers earn higher salaries because they perform temporary work. That work is not continuous which can create down-times but also busier times. That uncertainty is a large part of why the work should receive higher pay; to cover those down-times.
Essentially, UC-AFT is asking for their lecturers to leave the gig economy. If so, then salaries will not be higher than career/tenured faculty. In most cases, those should be entry-level. Granted, skills and experience should also be considered, but they need to choose which side of the gig economy fence they are on.
I fully realize that UC may not be treating the lecturers fairly. I also understand the criticism of their decisions being very corporate-minded. While UC is semi-public and funded by the state, they also believe that they need to resist any effort to increase costs from salaries. This is a fiscally minded requirement that does indeed seem very corporate. I do not know the legal standing of this position.
Conclusion
As part of the gig economy, I naturally take offense at any suggestion that gig work is less than in any way. It has always been my position that lecturers and adjunct faculty are essentially gig workers because many of their work specifics are exactly like gig work.
The UC-AFT likely has a very good reason to protest unfair labor conditions. Likewise, UC has a fiscally minded reason to resist any changes. The point is that from my position, both sides have some wiggle room to give in a bit. This could go a long way to resolving the impasse and avoid an escalation in the form of a strike or punitive measures from UC.
However, I think the idea that being part of the gig economy is somehow negative or deficient is a huge misunderstanding of who gig workers are. As I’ve said many times already, we aren’t just uber drivers and weekend musicians. We are also programmers, artists, architects, lawyers, authors, public speakers, psychologists, and yes, we are also lecturers and adjuncts.
Most importantly, we are professionals who work in those industries, and we also run our own businesses. For that we also are paid more because it is also full-time work, even if the individual projects are not done in a traditional 9-5 timeframe in an office.
How Discrimination Undermines your Small Business
Discrimination is something everyone knows happens, but hopes it happens to someone else. For small businesses it is also something that they hope to avoid because they are small. Is being small enough to avoid embarrassment and public shaming?
Image courtesy of pexels.com.
Are you an Uber/Doordash driver who has been called a racial slur? Do you know a business that caters primarily to people who look like the owners? Have you seen marketing materials that are derogatory? Have you heard something in mixed company that offended you? Have you seen something on a business website that was objectionable? Discrimination is easy to miss, which is why it happens so often.
Discrimination is also something everyone knows happens, but hopes it happens to someone else. For small businesses it is also something that they hope to avoid because they are small. Is being small enough to avoid embarrassment and public shaming? If something does happen, will it hurt the business? Or should the business just plow on and hope it goes away?
The “Small Business Exemption”
Discrimination is one of those issues that only large companies worry about, or at least that is the common assumption. Small businesses believe they can treat a racial incident like they treat an unhappy customer. They can ignore it and move on.
For a small business, much of the customer interaction is one-to-one so if there is an incident, the people impacted remains small. Those that hear of it would likely not affect any others because most customers do not really know each other.
Small businesses also are less likely to have a large online presence. Hence, customers that have been discriminated against would likely not be able to share their experience widely online. If the business is very small, the entire online presence can even be rebuilt from scratch without too much impact.
The surrounding community could also dismiss the issue because it only involved one small business. It is therefore not reflective of the larger community, that is, it does not reflect on them. It certainly is not reflective of the entire community.
Being small is like being anonymous in a crowd, and being a small business is being anonymous in the community. Ironically, this is one of the challenges for small businesses: to be seen. This also seems to be the dominant thought about discrimination and small businesses, but is that enough? Perhaps for an unhappy customer situation, but for discrimination, it may just be that the issue cuts deeper.
Why Discrimination is Different
It would be a mistake to dismiss an incident as just another unhappy customer. Discrimination has a long sordid history in this country. That history is replete with injustices and unspeakable crimes. That kind of damage lives in the memories of those who have suffered from it.
That one incident is linked to a long list of personal experiences in the lives of people who live with discrimination all the time. Those experiences may not have a direct relationship to the incident that occurred, but the experience is linked to it by history. It is also a unifying link, not just in the minds of the people involved in the incident, but it is also linked with others who have been discriminated against. In the community, discrimination runs deep and wide.
We live in a society where incidents of discrimination are a frequent and regular occurrence. This is because this society is bearing the memory of the cruel abduction and enslavement of Africans, the attempted extermination of American Indians, and the persistent suppression of immigrants, from Chinese to Eastern European to Latin American, for hundreds of years. That suppression persists today, so that one small discriminatory incident is inextricably linked to that long history of injustices.
So no, this is not just another unhappy customer.
Turning the tables
Let us consider this from the perspective of a discriminated person. That discrimination is primarily based on appearances that cannot just be turned off or removed. A person that is discriminated against because of how they look cannot simply act differently to fit in.
This is a reality from the moment that person leaves their home in the morning. From the moment they arrive at work, at a shopping mall, at a doctor’s office, at a school or at an event, and also into that small business where the incident occurred. They are always seen as an other. Everywhere they go, they are treated differently solely because of their appearance.
No amount of education, knowledge, skill, or ability will change that initial preconceived notion from everyone around them that they are different. This is largely because the dominant culture of everyone else around them is not well integrated. Over time, this lack of integration prevents difference from being the norm. That new norm could do so much to address the problems between people.
Where I worked previously, someone noted to me that “black people always dress so sharp.” This was part of a long list of similar comments like “I heard they even iron the inside of their pockets” and “their hair is always so well done; I wish my hair did that.” These were all intended as compliments, by the way, but they are based in ignorance.
As a member of the dominant culture, I just ignored the comments. However, those who were the subject of those comments could not just ignore them. These comments become exhausting, a constant reality that they are different, and this feeling builds up into a long list of grievances. These grievances are then linked to that long history of injustices.
This pressure comes in addition to all the little unspoken events during the day. From the clenching of the purses in the elevator to the extra glance from the office manager when they come to get some office supplies. These constant, and quite likely subconscious, little events throughout the day continue to build up and also become linked to that long history.
To illustrate this exhausting reality, let us consider that you own a small dry-cleaning business. At the end of the day when that person comes in to pick up their clothes on their way home, they are worn out from more than a hard day’s work. To your dismay, the young attendant at the counter that you hired last week happens to use an offensive slur when fetching the clothes. This is now no longer an unhappy customer instance, but a discrimination incident, perhaps in front of other customers as well.
That slip-of-the-tongue is now added to an entire day of micro-aggressions. These are also linked to that long history of systemic discrimination. Depending on the words used, the slur could even have its own sordid history tied to it. Mishandling this incident could be the end of your whole dry-cleaning business.
I am sure your first thought is that this would never happen in your business.
“Nicht im Land von Bertolt Brecht”
Historians have long pondered why the German people were not able to resist Hittler’s most distasteful policies prior to World War II. “Not here, in the land of liberal playwright Bertold Brecht,” was the response. As history shows, ignoring discrimination can have disastrous consequences.
Not in my business, is the go-to response from small business owners when a discrimination incident occurs. The expectation is that it is just an isolated incident, and not at all exemplary of the entire business. If the customers can just let this one incident slide, then we will do the same. We all need to move on, right?
How a small business responds is crucial. It can be expensive, with redactions, marketing, and legal processes, but compared to the loss in sales or maybe even the loss of the entire business, it is likely a necessary expense. At this point, this is more than a moral/ethical decision. It has become a fiscal decision.
Unfortunately, we know that small businesses will often opt for not addressing the issue at all, hiding instead behind their Small Business Exemption clause. I suspect that many small business owners reading this will likely disagree here, but there are just too many examples of small businesses doing just that.
Sweeping the Incident Under the Rug
Last year, I came across the complaint of a black employee of a mobile pet grooming service operating in South Orange County and North San Diego. The comments below are from the employee in a post on the Nextdoor website. Now I cannot confirm the events that are described, but if true, they are descriptive of a business ignoring discrimination and attempting to use the Small Business Exemption.
The employee was a trainee and said she was subjected to repeated racialized comments by another senior employee who was training her. As a superior, this behavior is repressive to lower-level employees. Because of her trainer’s position, any political beliefs that are offensive to the employee become abusive. The decision to share them to continue to debate them at length throughout the workday strongly suggests that this is a hostile work environment.
Some of the racial slurs against Asians that were mentioned were particularly objectionable. The employee relates that her trainer said that she “hates Asians because they drive little Asian cars.” Another example is when the trainer says that Asians “have matted, unsocialized dogs because they leave them outside all day since they can’t eat them anymore.” These are wildly offensive stereotypes that no employee, much less one who is in a supervisory position, should utter in a place of work.
The claimed statements that were apparently made about Blacks were no less offensive. She says that her trainer “hates blacks because apparently [they] commit the most crimes in comparison to other races in America.” There is another black employee that is mentioned as well, who apparently has a lighter complexion. She says that her supervisor felt differently about her because “she was light skinned and thus never felt ‘black’ or a ‘threat’ to her.”
Now, one must wonder why the trainer would even say this to a black employee who has a darker complexion. This type of thinking is typical of the colorism that has been used so often to rank blacks according to the shade of their skin. This is a paradigm that has its roots deep in American slavery. Again, coming from someone in a position of authority, this type of ranking of employees, based on the shade of darkness, is incredibly offensive and inappropriate.
The employee says that her trainer’s statements were not only racist, but more widely discriminatory against others such as transgender people. She said that “it’s her American right to freedom of speech to make them uncomfortable because she is uncomfortable with their existence.” Not only is this again deeply objectionable, but it is eerily reminiscent of the type of discriminatory beliefs that have deep historical roots, not the least of which are with Nazi Germany and its programs of ridding society of undesirable people.
There are many more examples that the employee shares in her post on Nextdoor. They are all deeply disturbing and have their roots in racist propaganda that have a long history in our country. It is not even necessary for the discriminated employee to demonstrate a historical link to make her point, the supervisor is doing it for her through these comments.
How the Small Business Responded
It is important to point out that racism is not the same as discrimination. The correct definition of racism is the furthering of discrimination through a position of power. This is an important distinction because it applies to these particular incidents on several levels. If the offensive behavior had been immediately addressed then this would just have been one of discrimination, but what happened here is more serious.
To begin with, the white supervisor was in a position of power over the black employee, so this issue was already one that should be labeled as racist. The employee’s welfare (ability to work, promotion consideration, transfer to another supervisor, etc.) were all subject to the supervisor’s power over her. As such, this was already a racist incident.
The black employee made repeated attempts to address the issues directly with her trainer. This had no effect. She then brought the issue to the trainer’s supervisor, the manager of the franchise. This manager also ignored the complaint and refused to address it with the trainer or to move her to a different trainer. When the black employee finally reached out to the owner of the business, the issue was again not addressed. At every level, she was rebuffed.
It seems clear that the entire organization was refusing to address the issue at all. The black employee is no longer working there, but she has received no communication from her former employer at any level since leaving. As a matter of fact, the trainer who she says mistreated her has been highlighted several times as a model employee on their website.
Because the discrimination is not just isolated to employees that are equal, but involves all levels of management, it is an incident of systemic racism – racism that exists at all levels of the business. Despite the seriousness of the issue and potential risk to that business, they have decided to ignore it entirely.
Why this Business Cannot Claim a Small Business Exemption
Prior to this incident, the business already had a significant online presence, including on Yelp, Facebook, and Twitter. Reading through the comments, there are several unhappy customers who were dissatisfied with the grooming service they received for their pets – some pets actually having been injured and scarred. Several of the complaints also refer to appointment delays and even complete cancellations (ghosting) by the groomers.
It should also be noted that many of these negative comments have received no follow-up. This suggests that the business has a more serious issue with management not addressing complaints. This should already give pause to those customers looking for a reliable groomer for their pet.
To be fair, there are also many positive comments from happy customers. However, it is the negative ones that stand out. As any marketing specialist will concur, those are the ones that new clients will note. This suggests that the business is not especially responsive to its customers.
Yet, these are all issues that are separate from the discrimination.
The employee that was discriminated against has filed a formal complaint with Fair Housing and Employment. This may take some time to have any impact, but if it is found that the complaint has merit, this will become a significant stain on the reputation of the business going forward.
This will become part of the business’ official public record – a record that anyone seeking to do business with them can discover. Super-imposed on the company’s record of service for pet grooming, this now forms a larger record of the business. Since negative issues are far more noticeable, it becomes an overall negative image.
This image is likely to impact the business’ ability to reach new clients. There is undoubtedly competition in the mobile grooming industry, so this company could lose market share in its geographic location. If anything, this racist incident cannot possibly be good for the company.
More importantly, the business’ record could impact its ability to grow. It may be denied capital funding for expansion. It could also inhibit a sale or merger down the line. Overall, even if the business is not directly impacted by the systemic racism, a negative image could have lasting consequences on its ability to expand and could cause the business to stagnate.
Conclusion
While discrimination is certainly something that a small business can chose to ignore and successfully move past, there are lasting consequences to this decision. It is quite possible that most customers will not be as diligent about researching the public record of a business – sometimes they just need to have their pet groomed in a hurry. Even so, the decision to ignore the issue could very well have a more lasting impact on the ability of a business to grow and expand.
No one goes into business thinking that they just want their business to remain small. Growth leads to greater profits and perhaps even financial freedom for the owners. To prevent hobbling the business, it would behoove owners to work diligently to avoid and address discrimination at all levels.
If the business ignores discrimination from its own employees, they are fostering a hostile working environment. This can only be detrimental, even when the product or service has no racial component (like pets). Pet owners do not want to bring their pets into a hostile work environment – the negative reviews are perhaps symptomatic of a larger problem of neglect.
Diversity, especially in positions of management could go a long way to prevent and address any discrimination, and thereby also the issue of customer trust. Obviously, it behooves the owners to foster a safe and diverse work environment. Even if they are not sensitive to the issue of discrimination, it would still be good for their bottom line to implement changes.
Discrimination has a historical component that no owner should want their business to be superimposed on. The very last thing a business wants is to be associated with the stain of racism. No matter how distant that stain, no matter how many times the business changes hands or names, historical stains remain, as companies like Dollar General, Papa John’s, Starbucks and Bayer who have all weathered backlash for not addressing discrimination properly are all too aware of.
You may not see your fledgling small business growing to become a large company like these corporations, but why limit yourself in any way by not addressing discrimination when it happens? Perhaps the mobile pet groomer mentioned above also does not consider itself in that light either, but it could possibly be bought out by Uber looking to expand into the lucrative business of pet grooming… well maybe not this particular mobile pet groomer.
The Magnanimity of Elon Musk: A Lesson in Leadership
If he were only a millionaire, or even a middle-class high school science teacher, Elon Musk would still be doing something to advance science for others. Ultimately it is about the leap forward for mankind.
Photo of Elon Musk with a rendering of Mars in the background.
Courtesy of pixabay.com
When we think of billionaires, we do not often think of them being magnanimous. Millionaires still give to the arts and their alma matters, but to become a billionaire you really need to have every cent working for you to reach that level. Even when billionaires do give, it is usually because there is an upside in the form of a tax write-off or some hope of immortality through naming rights.
Musk is not known for his charity either, despite the many good things that the Musk Foundation has done for disaster relief, Wikimedia, and other smaller non-profits. The fact is that Musk is a scientist, a futurist, and a visionary. His gift to the world will be the things he will have built.
So why would we feature an article about Elon Musk and Space X in the Gig-Zine? The reason is that the entire Space X program as well as the mission to Mars, is for the benefit of mankind. It demonstrates Musk’s vision and leadership. It serves as an example to everyone who leads, even if only for a small home-based micro-business. Having vision that goes beyond one’s own welfare and beyond the welfare of one’s business, is perhaps the single most important lesson for a leader, no matter the size of the business.
Space X and interplanetary settlement
One large part of Musk’s contribution to humanity will be through his push for accelerated space exploration and interplanetary settlement. Since the beginning of 2021, Musk and his Space X organization have been making extremely ambitious statements about the possibility of beginning the settlement of Mars, according to a January 17th article in Business Insider.
This article, like many others that followed, made some startling predictions such as:
Return to the moon by 2022, and offer tourist flights to the moon by 2023
Start manned flights to Mars in the next 10 years
Building a fleet of thousands of reusable starships to ferry people and supplies
Building a city of 1M inhabitants on Mars in 50 years
Bring the cost of each flight down to about $2M each
There have been some revisions to these predictions already, especially since there have been accidents with starship prototype test flights. It is likely that the figures will be adjusted further over time. That said, it is an extremely ambitious project, the likes humanity has never attempted before. This would certainly be a new “giant leap for mankind.”
Overcoming impediments
When Musk claimed that he would revolutionize the automobile industry with his Tesla cars, few people took the prediction seriously. There have been setbacks and some of them were tragic. Yet, Tesla did revolutionize an industry that had not changed much in the last 50 years. It is now apparent that electric cars will reach price-parity with gasoline-powered cars this year.
The Tesla Model 3 is currently the best-selling electric car in the world.
Courtesy of pixabay.com
We can only assume that as prices of electric cars continue to drop, their numbers will continue to increase. With them, will grow an entire infrastructure of electric power delivery. Musk did revolutionize the automobile industry, even if his prediction on that timeline was overly optimistic.
It is also becoming quite apparent that Musk is now revolutionizing the space industry. By allowing government initiatives to collaborate with the private sector, in this case, Space X, the space industry is already growing faster than it has in decades. This is not only reflected in the actual output of space projects, but also in the minds of people all over the globe.
While we could argue that it has been an uneasy relationship, and perhaps even a heavy-handed one, Musk is demonstrating that with projects as great as space exploration, a collaboration between the private sector and government is the best way forward. Perhaps this will become the future model for addressing all global concerns from climate change to the next virus outbreak, but I digress.
There are many obstacles to a successful permanent Mars settlement. He fully acknowledges that there will be setbacks and that people will even die. His solution, therefore, is to increase the number of attempts, significantly. He plans to build a fleet of thousands of starships to travel to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Starship SN9 sitting on the launch pad with the build site in the background ahead of its test flight. The SN9 is the latest version of the Starships that Musk plans to mass-produce for future interplanetary space travel.
Image courtesy of wikimedia.
The risks involved, even if tragic, are not stopping him from proceeding. He predicts, perhaps correctly, that risk does not deter people from trying again and again. In a way, it is in our nature and not unlike the way humans thought of it in the past.
An example that comes to mind is Ferdinand Magellan’s attempt to circumnavigate the world, a feat most Europeans at the time was also too risky. Yet the voyage succeeded, even if Magellan himself did not. It eventually returned to Europe with just a skeleton crew almost near death. Even so, it did not deter others from making the same voyage again and again. It was just a statistical fact that over time survival rates would increase.
It should also be mentioned that it took Magellan’s ship three years to complete the trip, while the world record today is 40 days to circumnavigate the earth. Currently, the voyage to Mars is estimated to take about 7 months on the Space X starships. However, it is quite possible this will be a considerably shorter trip 50 years from now.
It is also probable that by increasing numbers, we are more likely to discover more efficient ways to reach Mars and do so sooner. With thousands of ships and as many flights, it is a statistical probability that this should lead to engineering innovations and speedier travel solutions, as well.
Ultimately, it is about time
While Musk has been quite ambitious in his predictions, his timelines have tended to be exaggerated. It will likely take longer to send tourists into space, establish a permanent base on the moon and eventually settle on Mars. This is not to say it will not happen, but what it does suggest is that it is not likely to happen in Musk’s lifetime.
Therein lies the point of my original statement about Musk’s magnanimity. Like a Mozes of the 21st century, he is not deterred at all that he will only gaze upon the red planet through a telescope, sending others to complete the quest. My minister used to say that God had a knack for humor in his greatest deeds: is it any wonder Musk will not reach Mars considering that the “tablets” he brings down from the mountain are science and money?
In all seriousness, Musk knows full well that he will never set foot on Mars. Yet he is not the least bit concerned about this. This is because he knows that this quest is far greater than himself. It is greater than any one person alive. Reaching Mars will change human society in the same way that reaching the New World changed European society, regardless of the tragic consequences such a leap will have. It is that great of an endeavor for mankind.
…and it is also about humanity
One thing that puts Musk on a level playing field with everyone else is the fact that he needs others to achieve his goals. Over thousands of years, humans have learned to work together to succeed. It is one of the things that makes us human: our ability to collaborate and we do this better and more efficiently than any other creature on earth.
It is therefore a mystery, some would even say a tragedy, that humans also work against each other in the most vicious way. Despite thousands of years of working together, we have also spent those years competing, subjugating, fighting and killing each other. One could argue that this has allowed some people to rise above others and founding nation-states that have moved society forward. Perhaps, but is that the best we can achieve?
What if a meteor where to strike the earth? What if a nuclear war were to break out? What if a virus spread across the globe? When those events occur, our ability to cooperate is critical to the survival of all. Our competition needs to be put aside so that we can work together to address the immediate threat before us.
Going to Mars is not necessarily a global threat, but it is of tremendous importance to humanity. Many people in governments all over the world believe so as well. This is what gave rise to the International Space Station. Space exploration is a project of such magnitude that it is not something that a single nation can or should undertake on their own.
Elon Musk understands this. This is why he has no reservations about working with the Chinese or the Russians, or anyone else, in the same way that he is working with NASA. Other countries have already made their own advances in space exploration, and it would be a step backwards to ignore those advances because of a misguided belief in superiority.
A forward view of the International Space Station with limb of the Earth in the background.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia.
If we are to succeed in endeavors as great as these, we need to shed our outdated tendencies towards racism, sexism, nationalism, and political partisanship. The mission to Mars will require the collaboration of all humanity if it is to be successful. There are many obstacles, so Musk’s drive and vision will not be enough to get us there if we are not willing to work together.
While Musk is not directly saying so, his willingness to work with all partners foreign and domestic is key in moving forward. He understands the difficulty of the mission to Mars and it will require working together. That is another example of his magnanimity. Again, it is not measured in how much he donates to any cause that might combat racism, war, or any other social justice. It is measured in the way he sets the example to work with others.
This is something we could all learn from.
Conclusion
We can argue at length about whether billionaires are good. In the end we would both be wrong. Billionaires just are. I think Musk only sees the money as another tool to achieve something incredible for humanity. If he were only a millionaire, or even a middle-class high school science teacher, he would still be doing something to advance science for others. Ultimately it is about the leap forward.
If I had started this post about how great of a leader Musk was, it would have received the same ho-hum nonchalance that it received when I suggested he was magnanimous. He is not known to be either a great leader or magnanimous. Yet, when we consider what he will have accomplished for humanity, even if the Mars quest stumbles, it is what leadership and magnanimity are. In his own way, he forged a path to be both. As is our human nature, we fail to see this because we focus too much on the man and not enough on his works.
This is not to say that the end justifies the means. I for one sincerely hope that the risks will not lead to tragedies, but I cannot fault Musk for being realistic about those risks. I do not believe this is unemotional utilitarianism nor a belief that the progress of science supersedes the welfare of people. I believe that if he had the opportunity to be one of the first to go to Mars, even at great risk to himself, he would be on that first starship. Again, this speaks to magnanimity and leadership.
Having money allows Musk to have a greater impact on the scientific advances of our time and to possibly push them forward faster. If he were smarter, richer, or lived longer, he could possibly do even more. Yet none of those things are not stopping him from actually doing it.
What he shows us, is that no matter where we are in life, we can all do what we can to have a positive impact on humanity. That is a model of humanity that we should all try to follow. To all those who wonder about the meaning or purpose of life, there it is: think beyond yourself and have a positive impact on others.
Most importantly do this in the way you know best, where you are an expert, and where you are leading in your field. You do not need to be the only or top leader in your field – Musk is not either – but you should stand up and forge ahead whenever you are able to do so.
That is magnanimity and that is leadership.
NASA concept drawing for first humans on Mars, with a habitat and rover.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia.