Brief thoughts on the “Google memo”
Yes, there may or may not be biological differences. Or cultural differences. In fact, it&#x27;s almost certainly both, and it really doesn&#x27;t matter.<p>The single most important argument people like this ex-Googler never seem to understand is that they&#x27;re confusing what is with what ought to be.<p>If there&#x27;s one defining characteristic of humanity, it&#x27;s our ability to overcome biology (the &#x27;hardware&#x27;,so to speak), using our unique &#x27;software&#x27; of self-awareness and abstract reasoning.<p>Even if there were jobs that women were less qualified for, or had less interest in, we would want lower the difference, with equal representation if possible.<p>Take politics as an easy example: it&#x27;s a profession that is closely associated with a bunch of stereotypical &#x27;male&#x27; characteristics, such as the pursuit of power and the willingness to engage in conflict.<p>BUT: even if women as a group had a lower propensity to seek elected office, they still have an interest in being represented somewhat proportionally.<p>That argument easily extends to leadership positions in the private sector, and it has become relevant for the IT industry because of the growing power of technology over all aspects of life.