---
title: "Politics and 37signals"
date: 2022-11-25T22:45:19-08:00
syndicatedCopies:
    - title: 'The Fediverse'
      url: 'https://pleroma.envs.net/notice/APzIJgr4f1dTpMWKC8'
    - title: 'jstpst'
      url: 'https://www.jstpst.net/f/just_post/7510/politics-and-37signals'
---
Last year, 37signals employees shared the "pyramid of hate" in a work chat in response to seeing a list of "funny Asian names" of customers. Upper management responded by banning discussion of politics at work (I presume "politics" means "anything that creates a sense of social responsibility beyond investor value"). Its handling of the situation [caused a third of its employees to resign](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/30/technology/basecamp-politics-ban-resignations.html).

However, I don't think this policy is in effect anymore: 37signals leadership is <del cite="https://dragonscave.space/@miki/109411822474469057">using a company blog for</del> [railing against diversity and inclusion](https://world.hey.com/dhh/the-waning-days-of-dei-s-dominance-9a5b656c), and then [doubling down after criticism](https://world.hey.com/dhh/we-must-say-no-to-these-people-e0fb301c). Is the "no politics" rule lifted, is upper management exempt, or does "no politics" only refer to politics that challenges David Heinemeier Hansson to change his behavior? I look forward to hearing a clarification on this rule.

<ins itemprop="correction" itemscope="" itemtype="https://schema.org/CorrectionComment" cite="https://dragonscave.space/@miki/109411822474469057">Update <time itemprop="datePublished">2022-11-26</time>: <span itemprop="text">{{<indieweb-person name="Mikołaj Hołysz" itemprop="mentions" url="https://dragonscave.space/@miki">}} tells me that [this isn't a company blog](https://dragonscave.space/@miki/109411822474469057); however, I do think this likely reflects a current or future political stance from 37signals against diversity, equity, and inclusion.</span></ins>

37signals is known for creating Basecamp, Hey.com (an email service with bespoke email filters that are somehow incompatible with IMAP), and for creating Ruby on Rails. It appears to remain a key member of the Rails Foundation. For now.