The worst thing that could ever happen is the bizarre weaponization of diversity. I agree there are always cases of people who have absolutely no merit to be where they are. Have I seen it firsthand? No. Thankfully, the company I work for is so boring that, despite being an American company, we all just work professionally without any tension. Heck, even thinking of “having a tension” is insane to me. We have a very diverse team, and as always, some people can pull their weight while others are total deadweight.

Looking back at how the company I’m in has operated, I don’t think there was ever a real emphasis on DEI. Can you do the job? Do I need to consider race, religion, or ethnicity? Definitely not. If you have the skills and you’re interviewing with me, you are in. If your personality is so disruptive that you can’t collaborate with others, then yeah, we’ll need to have a serious conversation.

Some people push back against meritocracy, and as someone who has climbed the ranks through it, I find myself questioning why. I don’t know these people personally, but in my view, you shouldn’t be at a director level or near the top of your profession if you can’t carry your weight and show strong leadership qualities to the company. Basically, don’t expect things to just be handed to you.

This isn’t corporate talk. Like, if you are up there, you are expected to deliver things to the masses. Sadly, that’s the music we are all facing. Should it be different? Well, that’s a very long, convoluted, highly politicized discussion.

Regardless, people need to stop conflating these things. It’s such a narrow-minded view to assume that just because someone is Latino, African, or from another minority group, they must be a “diversity hire.” This mindset is harmful and demeaning to the individual who earned the position. If someone went through the proper hiring process, was deemed a good fit, and can perform well, that’s a completely fair hire.

But once again, I feel like I’m shouting into the void of complaints. I hate this so much. There are so many talented individuals who have worked incredibly hard, only to be dismissed as a “diversity hire.” It really bothers me.

I can only hope this rhetoric is just an online issue and that people aren’t facing harassment because of it. Where I am, we’re simply happy to work together.