As the lark ascends, remember Ozymandias

Power will crumble if we fight back. Go on, Auntie Liz gives you permission

I decided not to write directly about the nonsense in the US a while ago. One, because there is nonsense every day. And two, there are people way more qualified than me to dissect the goings on in the US, which is currently letting a non-elected, non-congressionally-approved billionaire burrow like a cancerous worm underneath the infrastructure holding the Federal government together. Anyhow, if you are looking for good people to follow and read, may I recommend Heather Cox Richardson, who has a Substack here, and Jamelle Bouie, a New York Times* columnist who is also very good on TikTok.

However, I got triggered this week, but don’t worry, I managed to redirect my anger. In an opinion column in the NYT, Michelle Goldberg references “MAGA intellectual” (don’t, I can’t…) Darren Beattie, who is predicted to be the US president’s pick to be under-secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs. Last October, he wrote on the social media platform formally known as Twitter, this: (I’m not linking to it, but as of today, it is still live).

You could see the red mist filling my study from space.

If you haven’t heard, DEI or diversity, equity, and inclusion practices are now bad. But please remember this: Do not get gaslighted by anyone who claims differently. Dismantling DEI is not about examining what has worked or hasn’t worked, or about getting rid of quotas, or making sure no one feels like a token or anywhere close to establishing a meritocracy. This bullshit is about the above – keeping white men (and forgive me for assuming that group is also narrowed down to straight-performing, Christian-claiming men) in power.

I am but a speck of dust on a grain of sand regarding influence in the grand, global scheme of things. But I try. When I find my white, privileged, straight, middle-class ass in a position of influence, I try.

A few years ago, I was asked to sit on a panel discussing DEI – two women and two men. (For once, I wasn’t the moderator). The audience was filled with a fair number of young women, all working in the tech industry. We told our stories and then the moderator threw it out to the audience. One young woman stood up.

She told a familiar story. At the start of her career, she was working for a fintech company and was the only woman on the team. Although no one was abusive to her, she said she often felt uncomfortable because the rest of the team all played video games and drank to excess to combat the stress of the job – two activities she didn’t care to take part in. Before I could open my mouth, the other woman on the panel laughed and said: “Well, if I were you, I would grab a beer and learn how to play video games.”

That wasn’t what I advised.

As women, we often have to judge what we are willing to compromise and make concessions for as we all try to survive in a public world that was built for and by men. (After all, survival is an instinct.)

My answer, those years ago, was to walk away**. Find a company that doesn’t allow one person’s idea of fun to be the benchmark for inclusion.

I do understand that ‘walking away’ isn’t an easy option for everyone. But hopefully, planning to walk away and find something better is open to more.

However, I realised that my answer and my fellow female panelist's answer are the twin strategies women often weigh up and consider regularly. Do we forge our own path and fight against the patriarchal tide – with all those real challenges and few rewards? Or do we hold our nose, decide to play by rules we did not create and do not have our advancement in mind, and pick up that joystick and play the [video] game?

I must admit, there have been times when I grabbed that beer and played that game. However, I can say those times became fewer as I aged and became a cranky old lady with very few fucks left to give.

We have entered a time where dangerous, very wealthy, and powerful actors are empowering others to say what they (for many more than I realised) have felt for a very long time. “Competent white men must be in charge…”

Fuck that shit.

No one specific group of people *must* be in charge of anything. Fight this; everyone fight this every time. I don’t want to look back at a world where being told to ‘grab a beer and learn to play video games’ sounds like a feminist anthem.

*Yes, because I am an East Coast, elite, champagne-swilling liberal, I subscribe to the NYT

** I want to thank Deborah Overdaput, a fractional CMO for the fintech industry in the States, who is writing a book called Walking Away, for making me think of that story this week.

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My guest spot with the lovely Theo Lau on the One Vision Podcast came out this week.

In this new episode of One Vision — FinTech Fuse, we delve into the transformative journey of fintech and banking post-2008 financial crisis.

We discuss industry misconceptions, the future of banking, the role of regulation, the global perspective on payment systems, and the dynamics between U.S. and European markets. As Liz said, “Reality is not about winners and losers. It’s about bringing traditional players and new players together …”

Supposedly, I also sing

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As for our musical finale, this has popped up on my TikTok several times this week, and I watched it in full every time.