E9. Breaking Corporate Isolation

Corporate professionalism is often a tool used to isolate us from our coworkers and the world. It’s time to bridge the gap.

IN THIS EPISODE

Aparna and Lars are joined by tech veteran Glenn Block and organizer Abdo Mohamed to dismantle the insistent "professionalism" that prevents us from building meaningful solidarity. We explore the concept of Cross-Class Solidarity - the radical idea that whether you make $60k or $600k, we have more in common with each other than with the corporate structures that stifle our humanity. Abdo shares his experience being fired by Microsoft after organizing a vigil for Gaza, and Glenn discusses the "awakening" that happens when white-collar workers realize their technology is being used to facilitate global harm. This episode is an invitation to stop "keeping the peace" and start building power across the factory floor and the tech campus.

THE QUESTION WE'RE SITTING WITH

When the system is designed to isolate you to keep you compliant, what small move can you make today to reconnect with the collective?

TAKE THIS WITH YOU

• Politicize Your Labor: Understand that your daily tasks - whether coding or data entry - are connected to larger global systems of extraction or empowerment.
• Talk to "Everyone" as a Coworker: Break the hierarchy by building relationships with culinary staff, data center workers, and contractors; we all work for the same machine.
• Reject Purity Politics: Don’t let the fear of not doing "everything" stop you from doing "something." Any small action is better than doomscrolling in isolation.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• No Azure for Apartheid — A campaign demanding ethical cloud and AI contracts - https://noazureforapartheid.com/
• Tech for Palestine — A community of tech workers organizing for liberation - https://techforpalestine.org/
• Empire of AI by Karen Hao — A book exploring the colonial roots of modern AI - https://bookshop.org/p/books/empire-of-ai-dreams-and-nightmares-in-sam-altman-s-openai-karen-hao/de10c251433f34d2?ean=9780593657522&next=t&next=t&prhc=PRHEFFDF5A7F1
• CODE-CWA & EWOC — Resources for labor organizing and worker training https://code-cwa.org/ | https://workerorganizing.org/

CONNECT WITH US

Circle Back Club: http://circleback.club/

Aparna on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aparnarae

Lars on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lars-gallien

Email us: pod@circleback.club