A Dongle Joke That Spiraled Way Out Of Control

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Capt Worley PE

Run silent, run deep
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In an age of blogs, tweets, Hacker News, Reddit and Anonymous, an off-the-cuff joke can spin wildly out of control.

At least it appears that’s what happened with PyCon this week when a sexual joke led to some very public firings, a virulent debate about women in technology, another virulent debate about public shaming, and now, a DDOS attack.


http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/21/a-dongle-joke-that-spiraled-way-out-of-control/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl27%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D288233

 
Not cool of her to have blasted him on the web without talking to him directly, and REALLY not cool posting a photo of him. But I don't get why the guy had to be fired as punishment.

Plus it makes me sad to think I have to guard my speech when someone mentions the word "dongle".

 
I think the guy got fired because he posted about the incident. If he just remained silent then I don't understand why he'd be fired. In the wake of the guy getting fired, I'm glad her company had the good sense to can the girl that started the whole thing.

 
It's not totally clear, but it appears the guy didn't post about the incident until after he was fired. Seems she was way overzealous in becoming offended at a relatively tame double-entedre. I mean really, I've heard worse in Disney movies.

The guy misjudged his audience. We've all done it. The appropriate response is for her to turn around and say she doesn't appreciate comments like that. Any respectful person would then shut up. If he doesn't THEN there's a problem

But once she went all internet on it, the company didn't have much choice. No way they are going to risk pissing off the feminist movement.

 
I imagine Adriana is the type that walks around looking to be offended..

I sure her mommy didn't let her play on a soccer team that kept score either.. Or play dodgeball....

 
Lots of groups are casting her as the victim. Had she "manned up" (sorry for the sexist wording, Adria) and spoken with them face to face for 5 seconds, none of this would have happened. Instead she acted as both a coward and cyber bully at the same time. IT and computer tech people need to remember people still have faces and names. Life isn't a hashtag.

 
Adria is a c*nt. In a politically correct sort of way.

 
How come no one's made a dongle joke in this thread yet? Is it too hard a subject to joke about? Or do y'all not mess around with dongles?

 
How come no one's made a dongle joke in this thread yet? Is it too hard a subject to joke about? Or do y'all not mess around with dongles?


I thought about poking my head into that dark realm to see what would come of it, but was concerned that some people couldn't take it.

 
Lots of groups are casting her as the victim. Had she "manned up" (sorry for the sexist wording, Adria) and spoken with them face to face for 5 seconds, none of this would have happened. Instead she acted as both a coward and cyber bully at the same time. IT and computer tech people need to remember people still have faces and names. Life isn't a hashtag.


They were both in the wrong. Neither are very professional in my opinion. The dude should have been more professional than bringing sexual innuendo to a business conference; she shouldn't have hidden behind the internet. It wasn't the locker room or eighth grade...

 
But it wasn't sexual innuendo. It was an inside joke between the two. How the particular wording was chosen we will never know. From an outsider's viewpoint, sure, it could have been considered innuendo.

 
I agree with MS. My interpretation of the situation, is that the two guys were making crude jokes to each other during the conference and she eaves-dropped and immediately posted that she shouldn't be subjected to that. The whole thing really is like an 8th grade scenario. The guys were being unprofessional (and acting like juveniles) with their potty-humor and she reacted very unprofessional and juvenile by immeduately posting about it. Both companies are now forced to take the "professional/adult" path which says just fire them and let's move on.

She should've just turned around and told them to STFU and it likely would've ended right there.

 
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