Workplace Political Conversations
Posted: July 14 15, 3:07 pm
Generally, the place where I work keeps a decent balance between open political dialog and not getting to the point where people eventually hate each other based on their politics. I have one coworker who I disagree with on everything and generally think is a dumb turd, but it never goes to an ugly enough place that I might do or say something that would be unprofessional.
However, something just happened. We hired a new guy in a business development/marketing capacity in the federal contracts field. Specifically military. He works out of Tallahassee.
Our CEO was walking him around the office introducing him to people when he had to go drop a deuce. I assume that's what he was doing because he said he was going to the restroom and was gone for ten minutes. Anyway, less than a minute after our CEO left, this dude looks around the IT dept and notices they're all dudes. He walks over to our helpdesk manager and goes, "I notice your dept is all men. Is that intentional?" Helpdesk manager says, "No, it just kind of worked out that way. We interview and hire people based on their qualifications." New guy nods thoughtfully and goes, "You got a minute for a story?" He then proceeds to enlighten everyone within earshot about an air force study having to do with multitasking, stress management, reaction time and other [expletive] like that. He said men scored much higher and we should be thankful it worked out that they were an all-male team. I was not part of this conversation but I had turned towards them at that point and must have had a look on my face, because he immediately goes, "Not that there aren't things women are better at than men. Child bearing and nurturing and stuff like that. They're just inferior in technical fields." I just raised an eyebrow, made eye contact and turned around. He then went on to babble like a [expletive] bumpkin about being from the only county in florida with no traffic lights and how Ted Turner owns a ranch near his house and how Jane Fonda had big [expletive].
With no inkling of anyone's thoughts on gender politics, this guy just leaps into a full-on screed against women in the work place like it's nineteen [expletive] fity regardless of any potential consequences or who might be listening. What kind of moron does that? Should I have gotten in the mix? Trolled him about confederate flags? Gay Marriage? Atticus Finch being in the Klan now? Did I do the right thing just staying out of it? How is this person alive in 2015?
However, something just happened. We hired a new guy in a business development/marketing capacity in the federal contracts field. Specifically military. He works out of Tallahassee.
Our CEO was walking him around the office introducing him to people when he had to go drop a deuce. I assume that's what he was doing because he said he was going to the restroom and was gone for ten minutes. Anyway, less than a minute after our CEO left, this dude looks around the IT dept and notices they're all dudes. He walks over to our helpdesk manager and goes, "I notice your dept is all men. Is that intentional?" Helpdesk manager says, "No, it just kind of worked out that way. We interview and hire people based on their qualifications." New guy nods thoughtfully and goes, "You got a minute for a story?" He then proceeds to enlighten everyone within earshot about an air force study having to do with multitasking, stress management, reaction time and other [expletive] like that. He said men scored much higher and we should be thankful it worked out that they were an all-male team. I was not part of this conversation but I had turned towards them at that point and must have had a look on my face, because he immediately goes, "Not that there aren't things women are better at than men. Child bearing and nurturing and stuff like that. They're just inferior in technical fields." I just raised an eyebrow, made eye contact and turned around. He then went on to babble like a [expletive] bumpkin about being from the only county in florida with no traffic lights and how Ted Turner owns a ranch near his house and how Jane Fonda had big [expletive].
With no inkling of anyone's thoughts on gender politics, this guy just leaps into a full-on screed against women in the work place like it's nineteen [expletive] fity regardless of any potential consequences or who might be listening. What kind of moron does that? Should I have gotten in the mix? Trolled him about confederate flags? Gay Marriage? Atticus Finch being in the Klan now? Did I do the right thing just staying out of it? How is this person alive in 2015?