Part 5/9:
He recounts instances, such as the James Damore incident at Google, to illustrate how businesses capitulated to internal activism out of fear of dissent, leading to the silencing of voices striving for rational discussion. Andreessen critiques this as an abandonment of true liberal values — where open debate should thrive — in favor of a culture that prioritizes groupthink and emotional outrage.
Yet, the reluctance of corporate executives to confront this chaos and restore sane practices is multifaceted. It encompasses fear of backlash from not only employees and social media mobs but also shareholders, who may be swayed by increasingly woke investment initiatives and stakeholder capitalism.