No. of Recommendations: 8
"It's not that hard."
Goofy,
It's not surprising that a Brk board might mishandle your comment or criticism. WEB has quite a fan club here - myself included. I toast your decision to stay in the thread - with civility.
This culture is in the midst of big change. I think you'd agree it will never be a diamond cutting process.
I think the thread moved from an observation on a Buffett comment to the messy process of inclusion. I've also seen the process of shaming effectively calcify two sides of a discussion.
For me, WEB has been pretty clear about what the nation has gained by doubling the talent pool with opening up opportunity to women. At Berkshire, Mrs. B, Tracy Brit, Meryl Witmer & Susan Decker have only been the most visible examples of this conviction. Likewise, Ken Chenault & Ajit Jain bring both extreme competence and diversity. WEB knows first hand what each in this crowd has brought to Brk and his life on the job. I just think WEB is loathe to engage or push back on the media or outside groups pushing the culture along. He refuses to use these friends and colleagues as totems to defend himself or Brk. His unspoken point is; they're here because they are exceptional.
Others in the thread pushed a point that needs to provide sobriety to those pushing social change with such zeal.
We are a very different civilization if identity supplants qualification/expertise in board rooms, ORs, F-16 cockpits and basketball teams. From close proximity to one of the most celebrated public universities in the US, I've witnessed self-censoring of this very point, when opportunity was extended in the name of inclusion first and merit subsequently accepted within a band/range rather than more rigorous and stratified metrics.
All the best !
CmoreBmore
