7 ms·

This is the only answer to his question :)

by bstrom 11y ago

humanarity 11y ago
Or hers :)
BurningFrog 11y ago
Except it doesn't answer the actual question...
- humanarity 11y ago
  and yet somehow it does, which seems to be why it works :)
- porpoisemonkey 11y ago
  I agree. The OP is clearly asking for quantifiable responses about career impact and not platitudes.
  - humanarity 11y ago
    I also thought so, and then I heard the real question
    - porpoisemonkey 11y ago
      I agree with the sentiment but the issue I take with the original answer is that it is that it's completely unactionable. There's no litmus test defined for what "authenticity" to oneself is or how to achieve it, so there's no way for the OP to really take this information and tangibly apply it to their situation. In my personal opinion suggestion without actionability is not particularly useful and only convolutes the decision making process.
      - humanarity 11y ago
        Porpoise hi :) thanks for the chance to expand on this, I really appreciate that today :) I agree with your point, and it's a goodun: how can you action authenticity if you don't know what it is? and if so it only makes the process inefficient. Totally agree. It's a mess not knowing where you stand, which is precisely the point. It works when we choose from who we are. There is a way to be authentic - I guess we know it without realizing it. You answered what seemed right for you, and that was being authentic. Sometimes a strong conviction is what's needed for a decision, and that's something being sought here. A reliable guide each of us has for our own authenticity is our own values and our own feelings. Without these invaluable guides we're like travellers without a compass, so it works to cultivate them and deploy them much as we can. It's a process and it gets easier. Follow your heart and eventually you'll find what your values are and be able to say them to people. They're our most valuable guides, and they're ours. :)
      - wfo 11y ago
        Of course it's actionable. Just because an algorithm can't do a cost/benefit analysis and come up with a deterministic solution absolving OP of all responsibility doesn't mean it's not actionable. The solution does however dodge the question as stated. OP asked what the consequences are of testifying, so he can decide whether doing the right thing is worth the risk/consequences. The solution suggested is telling him to say damn the consequences, do what you know is right, whatever that may be. It's life advice, not factual information. It doesn't answer the question he was asking explicitly, it answers the implicit follow up question; once I know the consequences, what do I do?
        humanarity 11y ago
        You sound like a good listener, do you really think the real question is about the risks or is it about personal guidance? Hard to say, right? My feeling is personal guidance, because it just seems so overwhelmingly obvious to me the question is not about what it's stated about. That's just the packaging. Unwrap it -- real q inside! :)
        kaens 11y ago
        I'd argue that those are simply two separate questions that both pertain to this particular situation.
        humanarity 11y ago
        And you'd have no argument from me there ! :) How would you consider each were you in this situation?
        kaens 11y ago
        It would depend very heavily on the nature of the charges. In general, however, I don't think that I would want to work for a company that would hold a bias against me due to my participating in presumably honest testimony when a previous employer was brought to court for whatever reason.
  - oskarth 11y ago
    Since when is having a moral compass a platitude?
    - hueving 11y ago
      It's like the generic advise that everyone already knows. "be yourself!" isn't super helpful when he/she is asking specifically about career impact.
      - humanarity 11y ago
        Know who you are then you'll know what to do. The question isn't about career impact. That's just like when someone's words are different to their body language. The question is different to the words in it.
        kaens 11y ago
        Whether or not he feels that testifying would be the right thing to do isn't about career impact. Looking for advice about what testifying could do to his career image in the long-term from a crowd that likely has relevant experience is about career impact. Explicitly.
        humanarity 11y ago
        Yes, you've correctly comprehended the literal explicit question, that's all there is to it, isn't it? Except it really isn't about the explicit literal question, it's about the unasked real question. What happens when you don't know you don't know something, or when asking what would be unacceptable? A proxy question is substituted, and you hope someone hears what you're really saying. Also, from a literal sense, I'd say whether you feel the choice is authentic is actually all about career impact. You're choosing to make your career something which isn't you, or something which is. What is the impact on you, and subsequently on your career, for each choice? Thanks for saying that you're right and that my answer isn't addressing the question. I invite you to create an answer that addresses the question you see, so we can learn from you! :)

This is the only answer to his question :)

by bstrom 11y ago

This is the only answer to his question :)

humanarity 11y ago

Or hers :)

BurningFrog 11y ago

Except it doesn't answer the actual question...

humanarity 11y ago
and yet somehow it does, which seems to be why it works :)
porpoisemonkey 11y ago
I agree. The OP is clearly asking for quantifiable responses about career impact and not platitudes.
- humanarity 11y ago
  I also thought so, and then I heard the real question
  - porpoisemonkey 11y ago
    I agree with the sentiment but the issue I take with the original answer is that it is that it's completely unactionable. There's no litmus test defined for what "authenticity" to oneself is or how to achieve it, so there's no way for the OP to really take this information and tangibly apply it to their situation. In my personal opinion suggestion without actionability is not particularly useful and only convolutes the decision making process.
    - humanarity 11y ago
      Porpoise hi :) thanks for the chance to expand on this, I really appreciate that today :) I agree with your point, and it's a goodun: how can you action authenticity if you don't know what it is? and if so it only makes the process inefficient. Totally agree. It's a mess not knowing where you stand, which is precisely the point. It works when we choose from who we are. There is a way to be authentic - I guess we know it without realizing it. You answered what seemed right for you, and that was being authentic. Sometimes a strong conviction is what's needed for a decision, and that's something being sought here. A reliable guide each of us has for our own authenticity is our own values and our own feelings. Without these invaluable guides we're like travellers without a compass, so it works to cultivate them and deploy them much as we can. It's a process and it gets easier. Follow your heart and eventually you'll find what your values are and be able to say them to people. They're our most valuable guides, and they're ours. :)
    - wfo 11y ago
      Of course it's actionable. Just because an algorithm can't do a cost/benefit analysis and come up with a deterministic solution absolving OP of all responsibility doesn't mean it's not actionable. The solution does however dodge the question as stated. OP asked what the consequences are of testifying, so he can decide whether doing the right thing is worth the risk/consequences. The solution suggested is telling him to say damn the consequences, do what you know is right, whatever that may be. It's life advice, not factual information. It doesn't answer the question he was asking explicitly, it answers the implicit follow up question; once I know the consequences, what do I do?
      - humanarity 11y ago
        You sound like a good listener, do you really think the real question is about the risks or is it about personal guidance? Hard to say, right? My feeling is personal guidance, because it just seems so overwhelmingly obvious to me the question is not about what it's stated about. That's just the packaging. Unwrap it -- real q inside! :)
        kaens 11y ago
        I'd argue that those are simply two separate questions that both pertain to this particular situation.
        humanarity 11y ago
        And you'd have no argument from me there ! :) How would you consider each were you in this situation?
        kaens 11y ago
        It would depend very heavily on the nature of the charges. In general, however, I don't think that I would want to work for a company that would hold a bias against me due to my participating in presumably honest testimony when a previous employer was brought to court for whatever reason.
- oskarth 11y ago
  Since when is having a moral compass a platitude?
  - hueving 11y ago
    It's like the generic advise that everyone already knows. "be yourself!" isn't super helpful when he/she is asking specifically about career impact.
    - humanarity 11y ago
      Know who you are then you'll know what to do. The question isn't about career impact. That's just like when someone's words are different to their body language. The question is different to the words in it.
      - kaens 11y ago
        Whether or not he feels that testifying would be the right thing to do isn't about career impact. Looking for advice about what testifying could do to his career image in the long-term from a crowd that likely has relevant experience is about career impact. Explicitly.
        humanarity 11y ago
        Yes, you've correctly comprehended the literal explicit question, that's all there is to it, isn't it? Except it really isn't about the explicit literal question, it's about the unasked real question. What happens when you don't know you don't know something, or when asking what would be unacceptable? A proxy question is substituted, and you hope someone hears what you're really saying. Also, from a literal sense, I'd say whether you feel the choice is authentic is actually all about career impact. You're choosing to make your career something which isn't you, or something which is. What is the impact on you, and subsequently on your career, for each choice? Thanks for saying that you're right and that my answer isn't addressing the question. I invite you to create an answer that addresses the question you see, so we can learn from you! :)