Post #2062622

2026-04-27 20:55 UTC

@leonardom @byorgey I'm with Brent on this 100%. “Risk getting fired” sounds frightening, but it shouldn't held out as the ultimate danger. The dangers Brent mentioned are much more serious. If you have a choice of going outside your moral or ethical boundaries, or risking getting fired, which do you choose? Faced with the choice of failing to cultivate your ability to think deeply, or risking getting fired, which is the wise choice? Compromise your craft, or risk getting fired? Abandon people, relationships, or justice, or risk getting fired? We're all faced with these choices from time to time. There are many outcomes worse than being fired. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Replies (3)

@mjd@mathstodon.xyz 2026-04-27 21:03

@leonardom @byorgey And in my view this is _exactly_ the advice that young students need to hear, in this world where the prevailing advice is to keep your head down and do what you're told without concern for the loss or suffering it may inflict on others.

Open ##2062623
@leonardom@mathstodon.xyz 2026-04-27 21:03

@mjd some people lose a job and find another one in few weeks/months, other people in a different situation lose a job and became jobless for years or even homeless. If you give advice then you also need to help people understand in what specific of the those situations they are.

Open ##2062624
@tschundler@leds.social 2026-06-07 20:19

@mjd@mathstodon.xyz We'd benefit a lot as a society if the risk of getting fired weren't so intimidating. A lot of the unethical actions being done right now are only possible due to lack of resistance. The lack of resistance I believe stems from perception about job prospects. By reenforcing a scarcity mindset around jobs, great evil is possible. I have savings to get by for years. But even understanding that, speaking up is stressful when we're conditioned with fear. @leonardom@mathstodon.xyz @byorgey@mathstodon.xyz

Open ##3185360