SpaceX webcast diversity

[ecarfan]

I was really getting keyed up watching the count and then at T-13 hearing "Hold Hold Hold" was jarring. But that's life in the rocket business. I was impressed with the pre-launch presentation and how SpaceX is making an effort to educate and excite people about what it is doing.

(I put some serious thought into how to phrase the following comment) In my opinion, the company should use a more diverse group of launch day video presenters so that people who don't look like the presenters (so far all Caucasians except for one African-American we've seen in past launches) can see someone who looks more like them and get inspired and excited about the SpaceX mission. In a perfect world what you look like wouldn't matter, but in the real world unfortunately it does. Surely SpaceX has some employees of East Asian or South Asian descent (for example) they could use as presenters?

I am confident that SpaceX is not deliberately choosing young attractive white people to be launch day presenters and excluding people who don't look like that. But I think SpaceX needs to put more thought into this issue.

 

[ccutrer]

I was really getting keyed up watching the count and then at T-13 hearing "Hold Hold Hold" was jarring. But that's life in the rocket business. I was impressed with the pre-launch presentation and how SpaceX is making an effort to educate and excite people about what it is doing.

(I put some serious thought into how to phrase the following comment) In my opinion, the company should use a more diverse group of launch day video presenters so that people who don't look like the presenters (so far all Caucasians except for one African-American we've seen in past launches) can see someone who looks more like them and get inspired and excited about the SpaceX mission. In a perfect world what you look like wouldn't matter, but in the real world unfortunately it does. Surely SpaceX has some employees of East Asian or South Asian descent (for example) they could use as presenters?

I am confident that SpaceX is not deliberately choosing young attractive white people to be launch day presenters and excluding people who don't look like that. But I think SpaceX needs to put more thought into this issue.

I'm also confident they're not choosing young attractive white people. Cause the one guy is an old unattractive white guy. I could see opinions vary about the others, though.

 

[Barklikeadog]

Doesn't anyone watch movies? The space programs are now run by 25yr old coffee shop hipsters. Movies wouldn't lie.

 

[NikeWings]

I've been in the Hawthorne facilitiy multiple times and it's it's far from all white and good looking but the young and vibrant thrive with a rounded balance of experienced leaders. I love the vibe.

 

[scaesare]

I was really getting keyed up watching the count and then at T-13 hearing "Hold Hold Hold" was jarring. But that's life in the rocket business. I was impressed with the pre-launch presentation and how SpaceX is making an effort to educate and excite people about what it is doing.

(I put some serious thought into how to phrase the following comment) In my opinion, the company should use a more diverse group of launch day video presenters so that people who don't look like the presenters (so far all Caucasians except for one African-American we've seen in past launches) can see someone who looks more like them and get inspired and excited about the SpaceX mission. In a perfect world what you look like wouldn't matter, but in the real world unfortunately it does. Surely SpaceX has some employees of East Asian or South Asian descent (for example) they could use as presenters?

I am confident that SpaceX is not deliberately choosing young attractive white people to be launch day presenters and excluding people who don't look like that. But I think SpaceX needs to put more thought into this issue.

Whereas I'd like the most qualified people for the job, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, etc...

 

[182RG]

I am confident that SpaceX is not deliberately choosing young attractive white people to be launch day presenters and excluding people who don't look like that. But I think SpaceX needs to put more thought into this issue.

No. Just. Stop. The need to gender, race, and sexual preference norm every aspect of life is becoming very tiresome and frankly ridiculous. Social statements don't need to made at every turn, PERIOD.

WTH does it matter? Hire those who are best qualified. Rinse. Repeat.

 

[Vitold]

Whereas I'd like the most qualified people for the job, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, etc...

It is impossible to determine who is the most qualified as everyone has their strengths and weeknesses.

It is a shame when unqualified people get a job in the name of diversity but that is not what is being advocated.

Looking forward to tomorrow's launch. I am. I am bit concerned about the leak...

 

[scaesare]

It is impossible to determine who is the most qualified as everyone has their strengths and weeknesses.

Too bad we don't interview folks and assess their competency and skills with regard to a given task... oh... wait... we DO actually do that?

Huh. Well I wonder if it's at all possible then to simply make the best choice based on those criteria and ignore the superfluous characteristics?

(With that, I'll cease that line of discussion and look forward to tomorrow's launch)

 

[macpacheco]

Grendal, it changes nothing. CRS mis

I really enjoy the webcasts, hearing HOLDHOLDHOLD at :13 was quite the nail biting moment...

SpaceX has a pretty heavy launch schedule the remainder this year. I wonder how long they will continue the "hosted" versions of the webcasts. At some point this will become pretty routine and putting on a hosted event will become more of a pain then it's worth. I'm sure the technical webcasts will always be there though.

SpaceX has thousands of employees. I think the latest number is above 6000 people. I'm sure they have hundreds interested in hosting those webcasts. They can likely rotate a half a dozen trios of employees to host the webcasts.
This is the cheapest ad/PR SpaceX can do.
By the time SpaceX is launching every week, SpaceX likely will have around 10000 employees. Even 100 webcasts a year would be a drop in the bucket for SpaceX.

 

[ecarfan]

It is a shame when unqualified people get a job in the name of diversity but that is not what is being advocated.

Thank you. As you note, I am not advocating that unqualified people be selected to host the webcast.

 

[ElectricTundra]

A friend has told me several times that the worst thing about being black is that people at uni (Columbia, Northwestern) thought he got in based on racial preferences and that many people who don't know him well think that every promotion he's ever had at work was because of racial quota goals. He said on the last one he sometimes doubts himself and wonders if some promotions have been. He's not a fan of affirmative action or anything like it.

Second is cops stopping him for the tail lite that's not out because they don't think black guys should be driving a Model X.

 

[miimura]

I initially had the opposite reaction to the OP when I first started watching these webcasts. I was impressed that they had two women, one of which appeared to be African American. Sure, they could have some men of other ethnicities, and I think they should rotate the hosts as well as the launch cadence increases.

 

[ccutrer]

I initially had the opposite reaction to the OP when I first started watching these webcasts. I was impressed that they had two women, one of which appeared to be African American. Sure, they could have some men of other ethnicities, and I think they should rotate the hosts as well as the launch cadence increases.

The old guy wasn't on for this morning's. And my wife asked where the black lady was (I had not told her of this thread). So yes, I'll agree with the (now) OP that it did seem like the presenters were selected to provide a young, hip image for SpaceX.

 

[hockeythug]

Wow. I really am at a loss of words to respond to this other than it is absurd and totally unwelcome for this section.

 

[Lump]

Should be +1000 page Gov. rule & regulation stipulating who private company's should have on a webcast .

 

[croman]

Too bad we don't interview folks and assess their competency and skills with regard to a given task... oh... wait... we DO actually do that?

Huh. Well I wonder if it's at all possible then to simply make the best choice based on those criteria and ignore the superfluous characteristics?

(With that, I'll cease that line of discussion and look forward to tomorrow's launch)

Read up on implicit bias. Your comments reek of wilful ignorance of human societal biases. There is a reason cops target minorities and the tech sector isn't diverse and it isn't due to qualifications or interviews.

 

[scaesare]

Read up on implicit bias. Your comments reek of wilful ignorance of human societal biases. There is a reason cops target minorities and the tech sector isn't diverse and it isn't due to qualifications or interviews.

Because some segment of the population does so doesn't mean:

1) Other's don't

2) We shouldn't pursue the goal to eliminate bias all together

 

[eye.surgeon]

I'm sure future astronauts being delivered to the ISS would feel much better knowing job assignments at Space X were made based on race and gender quotas.

 

[croman]

Because some segment of the population does so doesn't mean:

1) Other's don't

2) We shouldn't pursue the goal to eliminate bias all together

It isn't just one segment of the population. Some are more open about their outward biases and outright racism (emboldened in recent times). However, everyone has biases. Hence the implicit part. Saying you don't is denying the issue and a part of yourself.

Secondly, a goal to eliminate bias must include programs to force disparate groups to interact. Only this interaction actually eliminates bias as knowledge of people who are different from you actually is proven to eliminate biases, both implicit and explicit.

Your statements all assume bias doesn't exist or that it can be ignored but that isn't the case. The facts are that humans are biased regardless of whether they understand they are. Your idealistic statements won't become a reality just by stating a goal to eliminate bias and declaring your lack of bias. Rather its the opposite. But we can just ignore the facts and the plethora of peer reviewed research and go with "our gut" since that's what is in vogue nowadays.

 

[croman]

I'm sure future astronauts being delivered to the ISS would feel much better knowing job assignments at Space X were made based on race and gender quotas.

A trope used by conservatives to bludgeon minorities for a long time. Please state any examples of racial quotas in the past 40 years. There are none but it is a racist bogeyman trope repeated ad infinitum. Congratulations for continuing an embarrassing argument into the 21st Century.