FAQ on Leaving Google

> it makes no sense to either love or be angry at “Google”

Someone decided to handle this situation that way, so one has a perfect right to be angry at them, and generalize that as "being angry at Google".

The author takes it with philosophy and pragmatism, that's admirable and I'm certainly not one to tell them how they should feel. But other factors indicate that his situation was also prone for that positiveness (feeling like a relief because of golden handcuffs, long tenure in a stock-distributing tech company + director level meaning that there's likely no concerns regarding money, side career already underway, maybe a relief to have some change).

Others might not be in the same situation, and are now jobless in in slow economy, with tenuous savings, rent or mortgage coming up. They might feel outright furious for a layoff that they have neither control on, nor were a reason for, and that shows no face to take responsibility - and they're completely entitled to feel that way, if that helps them cope. I'd say it makes sense to me, and don't feel bad for being angry if that's how you feel.

> they're completely entitled to feel that way, if that helps them cope

This is actually not a productive way to cope and it’s good advice to tell people not to cope this way.

Is it not? Honestly, it wouldn’t help, but ranting at the impersonal machine that is Google (or big tech) would certainly make me feel better.

Anger at the Kafkaesque ministrations of the neo-feudal lords is a valid emotion. Let's not normalize the passive, defeatist acceptance of abusive corporate culture. One doesn't need to be angry, but that's a privilege of someone who isn't living paycheck to paycheck.

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned."

Maybe the bigger lesson is that, beyond family and a few close friends, the world doesn't generally care how you feel?

You way of saying it is nicer, granted.

"Anger is a gift"

> one has a perfect right to be angry at them, and generalize that as "being angry at Google".

People who climb their way to Director usually don't tilt at windmills and shake their fists at clouds.

> Anger at the Kafkaesque ministrations of the neo-feudal lords is a valid emotion.

I mean, yes. And it'll make Mr Angry feel worse, make the people around him feel worse, and make the world worse. So the recommendation is don't do that. If someone is going to do something productive after being sacked, learning to do it out of a place of love is a skill well worth picking up. Makes the world better and all that.

Director at Google is a 7 figure position. I have no problem if Google demands extraordinary performance from someone making that kind of money, and decides to lay off people who don't meet that bar.

This is very different than say, if an L3 engineer got hit with a layoff a year after joining.

If you worked at Google for any number of years, is there any reason to have tenuous savings?

Heck in any major city in the US, your average CRUD enterprise dev is probably making twice as much as the local median household income and should have savings

I think this is a bit of a shallow read on what anger is – one can rightfully feel angry at an injustice and use that motivation to effect positive change.

I also prefer—on a personal level—to set anger aside. But anger is probably one of the strongest forces driving individuals to "make the world better".

Looking at Google L3 salaries in Chicago: They should be well off in a layoff situation.

The dude was at Google for 19 years. A director level. Possibly reap >$50m. I imagine it wouldn't be hard to not be angry.

If you worked there as an entry developer for a couple years in an expensive city with a student loan, you'd have a reason, yes. Or if you were an immigrant with a family to support abroad. Or if you are divorced and need to pay spousal and child support.

A number of reasons, yes.

I bet you even in that “expensive city” you’re making more than twice the median compensation in that same city.

In many expensive cities the median compensation is well below the poverty line

Life is a gift. Death is a gift. Anger is a gift. Sadness is a gift.

It all comes and it all goes. Let it come. Let it go.

> But anger is probably one of the strongest forces driving individuals to "make the world better".

Are you thinking of an instance? Anger typically locks in the status-quo by causing people to fight each other. Greed on the other hand has pushed us from farming monkeys into modern society with a material existence that was hitherto unthinkably comfortable. Harnessing greed created and powers the modern engine of wealth creation. And greed works best when people are thoughtful, patient, kind and calm.

Typically anger just makes people do things that are hasty and stupid. I'm not thinking of situations where I've seen it get much done. It isn't an emotion that can power long term, strategic plans - or at least not good ones. Tends to burn out or be destructive.

Yeah, not like he basically accuses Google of age discrimination.

Because "getting rid of senior people" is exactly what that is.

Uh, what? Can you name some and provide numbers?

And this is why Googlers' favorite line is "I'm sorry you feel that way." At Google, yes there are feelings good and bad, but only reason is right, and so Google protects itself by making any criticism unreasonable.

I don’t think senior in that context is what you think it means. It tends to mean experienced/higher ranking people and not senior citizens. Senior engineers, for instance, are engineers with more than 8 years experience.

> now jobless in in slow economy

It really doesn't look like a slow economy!

See https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/gdp-growth

In Los Angeles the median individual income is $30k.

For an individual, HUD puts the "low income" threshold at $70k and "very low income" at 44k.

That's not a good way to think about income because people live in households, and the median income of all individuals includes people who aren't expected to contribute to the household income like children.

Ok.

The mean household income is $70k and the average household size is like 2.7.

For a household of 2 people, the HUD low income threshold is $80k. For a household of 3 or 4 it's $90-100k. Although they'd be a bit above the HUD very low income threshold

Greed makes people do things that are hasty and stupid. Love makes people do things that are hasty and stupid. ... All emotions are by definition impulsive and irrational and thus hasty and stupid. You are cherry picking.

Senior engineers with more than 8 years of experience are more likely to be of senior age. Age discrimination in the US is discriminatory actions affecting 40+ year olds.

> All emotions are by definition impulsive and irrational and thus hasty and stupid

That isn't true. Emotions are usually rational, and may or may not be swift. Consider greed - it can be harnessed to power long-term plans, as can be seen when looking at the economy. And that is hardly cherry picking, we're surrounded by examples and it is foundational to the theory of why it all works. Consider someone saving up money to buy a fancy car. That might be a decision powered by love; is probably powered by greed and it seems a stretch to say people would do that because they were really angry with the world.

Anger doesn't have the same staying power as positive emotions, or more neutral emotions like greed.

> You are cherry picking.

You may note I'm explicitly asking Mr. matthewmacleod to cherry pick.