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@juliankyer
Created January 27, 2017 20:48
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##Tragedy of the Commons Reflections

If tech execs have any specific bias in regards to people "being like them," the types of jobs that are available decrease for any and all people that don't fit that criteria. Parable of the Polygons demonstrates that diversity quotas can be important... Any "small" bias can have a magnifying effect, and diversity quotas are intentional biases that are designed to counteract the meaningful impact that people's prejudices have. The criticism that diversity quotas are somehow unfair, "missing the point," or counter-productive demonstrates a lack of understanding about the root cause of the issue.

The big thing I think about in discussions like this is "what is a person 'like me' like?" Humans naturally compare themselves against each other; sometimes that is healthy, and sometimes it is not. I'm from a pretty homogenous town, but had a pretty non-homogenous upbringing, and I hope that's helped temper my unconscious biases, and taught me to seek out people who are not "like me."

I think PotP is a great example of how judging others on superficial characteristics negatively impacts a community's diversity.

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