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lest the rank-and-file revolt

The rank-and-file are extremely well compensated, with cash, with stock, with on-the-job perks. Why would they bite the hand that feeds them? A lot of people will put up with incredible violations of their principles before they'll risk losing a comfortable position.

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Googlers will and have on multiple occassions revolted. Many have resigned when their personal red lines were crossed, usually over things the external world would not have noticed. Various top-down decisions have been reverted due to this, up to walking back an announcement that already went public.

Big part of the reason is that finding the next job after Google is nowhere near a hard problem. Chances are you might even get paid more by the next place.

Source: I'm a Googler that has signed some of these petitions, never got his red lines crossed and is still happy to work here.

This is one of many reasons why it is worthwhile to compensate well, at all levels: loyalty can be purchased.

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