W10 Uber

Susan Fowler was employed at Uber as a site reliability engineer. Read her blog post, found linked on Canvas under week 11. In it she tells the story of how she came to be employed at Uber, her experience while there, and the reasons she ultimately left the firm. After reading her blog write an argument that provides ethical assessment of Ms. Fowler’s experience in terms of the analytical framework of feminism. Specifically, answer the question of whether or not Uber as a corporation cultivated a sexist environment, a sexist culture. If so, how?

Please keep in mind: An ethical argument will typically include 4 items:

1. a brief description of the relevant analytical framework element, e.g. glass ceiling
2. the application of that element to the particular facts in the case study
3. your evidence
4. your conclusion

W10 Uber Answer (2)

The experience of Ms. Fowler can be understood within the framework of gender inequality perpetuated by the social condition of the fact that men and women by nature are distinct. Such distinctive character also demonstrates the difference in moral compass as afforded by their respective lifeworld. This difference often revolves around the dichotomies of mind/body, reason/emotion, permanent/changing, and culture/nature (Gibson, page 82). 

W10 Uber Answer

Uber cultivated a sexist environment or culture, as evidenced by the narrative of Susan Fowler. One of the applicable ethical theories on the issue is glass ceiling. It posits that “women get promoted only to a certain level and find it very difficult to get beyond that plateau” (Gibson, page 87). Fowler was hired as a site reliability engineer at Uber. She performed well during her stint, but she was deprived of opportunities because of gender-based discrimination. She attempted to move to a different SRE team because of gender violence that she experienced with her manager.