
My Meeting with Pax Dickinson - kmfrk
http://dashes.com/anil/2013/09/my-meeting-with-pax.html
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anildash
Let's see, we should have:

* A few folks wrongly arguing this is about free speech even though it's not an issue of government limiting speech * Guys saying this is trying to silence someone, without ever reflecting on whether Pax's actions silenced others * People blaming me for his getting fired, even though I know his CEO and did not call him about this * Dudes who will say "all that matters is if he knows the tech" as if being an executive doesn't also require effective communication skills, empathy, and the ability to create a welcoming and supportive workplace. * A few who will go off and continue the effort to dox me instead of the PUA jerks who keep sending me death threats and attacking me & my family * A silent majority who find this guy and this kind of behavior reprehensible but somehow don't always feel obligated to speak up.

But I am optimistic; the many good people here can change these parts of
startup culture. We can make it welcoming, even to those with strong accents
or who those might get pregnant.

~~~
jackmaney
I'm very surprised that he actually decided to meet with you. In my
experience, troglodytes like Pax Dickinson are usually too cowardly to show up
after saying things like "oh yeah? you wanna say that to my face?!"

~~~
mones
i don't think it helps to start calling people you don't agree with cave men.

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bjourne
I really think this kind of drama is off-topic for Hacker News. There are too
many posts about twitter celebrities getting angry at each other and then
trying to involve the rest of the world in their stupid fights. I mean the 120
char limit basically makes it certain you will be misunderstood, taken out of
context and that the only way to get attention is to post extreme soundbites.

Sorry to single this submission out. I just want less "blogosphere news" on HN
and more technology articles.

~~~
bradleyland
It is all rather dramatic, but it serves a purpose. For someone who doesn't
share the same views as Pax and his ilk, it's easy to let these issues slip
from our field of view. Unfortunately, they're still a very real problem, and
anyone developing their worldview in start-up culture needs to know that this
kind of behavior is unacceptable.

I still up-voted you, because the while mess still reeks of high-drama
internet gossip. I wish we didn't have to endure it, but sometimes it's a
necessary evil.

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angersock
" _If you 're a venture capitalist, and you invest in Pax's startup without a
profound, meaningful and years-long demonstration of responsibility from Pax
beforehand, you're complicit in extending the tech industry's awful track
record of exclusion, and it's unacceptable._"

Yes, because what we need more of in our community is blacklisting--even for a
good cause, this is inexcusable.

~~~
anildash
No, clearly what we need is more funding of guys who unabashedly say they
won't try to hire women. Because that's a great world to live in.

~~~
mones
he never said that...can we try citing actual quotes when making these kind of
accusations?

~~~
hjrnunes
Why would you want such a thing?

Fact-based accusations? That doesn't work well with the thought police.

The funny thing is, you go take a look on what this guy wrote in the past and
there's stuff like

"There's a related question here which no one is asking, which is whether the
economic catastrophe facing the global marketplace is a result of a failure of
white culture in America."[1]

Seriously? Is this any different from saying that famine in Africa a result of
a failure of black culture (whatever that is)?

Is this a "guru"? Guru of what? At least the so-called "asshole" can actually
build something useful, instead of just thought-policing without looking in
the mirror...

[1] [http://dashes.com/anil/2009/01/monoculture-is-bad-for-
busine...](http://dashes.com/anil/2009/01/monoculture-is-bad-for-
business.html)

