Rising antisemitism, noncompetes, and big ideas
RWL #392
Greetings from the University of New Hampshire! This is the last full week of classes - classes officially end Monday. I, of course, will be having my class on Monday because that is how I roll.
I only include one link this week to the issue of rising antisemitism at elite institutions, but I am deeply concerned about what I am seeing. What happens at elite colleges eventually graduates to other elite sense-making institutions, such as newspapers and social media companies, as well as government. I expect expressions of intolerance and ignorance to come from the dark corners of our society, not the places where we are training our future leaders, and yet it seems the institutional leadership has embraced these beliefs. See “listen” below.
The other links are more fun. Also, I recorded a voice over for my latest FITW newsletter. I inserted it into the newsletter after the fact. Still weighing creating a podcast channel for that.
I’ve been working on bookmarks lately (pic above). I especially like it when I have time in the early morning to work because we get such nice light through the dining room window, and that is where I set up my makeshift art studio. There is something very satisfying about making a little piece of art first thing. Bookmarks are nice projects because they have a practical purpose, so the bar is low.
On to the links! As usual, willing good for all of you!
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Read
What: Hollywood Reporter, A Ban on Noncompetes Could Raise Pay — and Complicate Contracts — in Hollywood
Why: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a rule making noncompetes illegal. A noncompete is part of an employment contract that says you can’t leave your current employer and go to a competitor for a certain period of time. The idea is to prevent employees from stealing intellectual property such as trade secrets and customer lists and jumping to a competitor. I have mixed feelings about noncompetes and this policy. Noncompetes are reasonable to a certain extent. My default setting is consenting adults should be able to contract pretty much anything that isn’t illegal. Presumably you are compensated more if you agree to sign a contract with a noncompete clause. But noncompetes can be abused. This article makes the point that many firms in Hollywood put noncompete clauses in the low-level employment contracts where the employee would have very little ability to steal intellectual property. Instead, these noncompetes just throw sand in the gears of the labor market.
Here’s a version of a story I have heard about the effect of noncompetes: Back in the 70’s and 80’s, the Route 128 corridor around Boston was a tech Mecca, preceding Silicon Valley, but many of the firms that were anchors of the tech ecosystem in the Boston area failed and were not replaced. Part of what hurt the 128 corridor and caused much of the computer industry to move to Silicon Valley was the overuse of noncompetes. Engineers in one firm were not able to move to another firm once they signed a noncompete. If they wanted to change firms, they would have to move out of the area. Firms became much more siloed. Meanwhile, during this period, engineers in Silicon Valley were hopping from firm to firm, cross-pollinating ideas. As 128 became more rigid, Silicon Valley became frothy with ideas that resulted from the free movement of labor. Boston lost out ot Silicon Valley in part because of the abuse of noncompetes. What seemed like a win for one firm killed the macroenvironment, and ultimately the tech firms in that environment. Boston is a high-tech hub for many things - especially bio-tech these days - but there were some lost decades.
I don’t like the FTC making a major policy move like this. First of all, I’m not sure it’s in the scope of the Federal Government. Contract law like this should be at the state level. But if it is going to be done, a policy this sweeping should be from Congress, not a regulatory agency.
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What: HBR Ascend, A Beginner’s Guide to Networking
https://hbr.org/2023/03/a-beginners-guide-to-networking
Why: One of my students found this article and shared it on her LinkedIn. I am requiring my students to post something to LinkedIn every other week this semester as part of their professionalism seminar. I liked it well enough that I wanted to share it with you. The author hones in on the theme I have talked about before - people think of networking as schmoozing for a job. If that’s what you are doing when you are networking, you are doing it wrong. From the article:
If networking feels too transactional for you, consider using it to offer your knowledge, skills, advice, or expertise to other people — even when you don’t need or want something in return. This can help you connect with people on a deeper level…
You should start from a place of looking to offer value. Opportunity is drawn to value like water runs downhill.
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Watch
What: Big THink, The 4 biggest ideas in philosophy, with legend Daniel Dennett (11 min)
Why: He focuses more on errors in philosophy, and that makes this a fun little romp. He ends with some commentary on AI worth listening to.
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Listen
What: Honestly, Rising Antisemitism and Choosing Freedom (49 min)
Why: I am horrified by the antisemitism that is being proudly displayed at elite universities, and the fact that these universities seem to continue to wring their hands about what to do. The conception of Jews as oppressors on the oppressor-oppressed binary that seems to be popular with the Social Justice Left baffles me. Is it possible to be more a-historical in your thinking? Even a modicum of the study of history should make one stop and shake one’s head at such an assertion. There is some deep corruption that has taken hold at these universities, and it is being perpetuated by people within academia who have created disciplines that oversimplify identity and ignore historical context. I am sorry for all my Jewish friends as this mess continues.
This pod is a recording of a speech given by Bari Weiss. She says:
A few months ago, I gave a speech at the 92Y called “The State of World Jewry,” where I addressed these very questions. I argued that the state of world Jewry depends on the state of the free world. Right now, its condition is in jeopardy. Our holiday from history is over.
The real history of the Jewish people has been a precarious position in society. When bad things are aimed at Jews as a group, it is usually a sign that the society at large is sick. It is tragic for us, and all the more concerning, that the universities that are the factories for future elites, are currently warping the minds of the young people they are charged to prepare to lead a free society.