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A “culture” document sent to Netflix staff last week suggests they may prefer to work elsewhere if the streaming giant’s content offends them.
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The New York Post reports that after the internal spat sparked by Dave Chappelle’s recent comedy special, The nearerNetflix has issued a working paper detailing the company’s culture and advising disgruntled workers that it values the “artistic expression” of content creators more than the beliefs or lifestyles of each individual employee.
“As employees, we support the principle that Netflix offers story diversity, even if we find some titles run counter to our own personal values,” reads the document, titled Netflix Culture – Seeking Excellence.
Whether this outline of corporate culture was prompted by last fall’s protests against Chapelle’s show isn’t clear.
However what post Office Viewed as a warning to “the awakened,” others will consider it a document worth reading because it inadvertently reveals what a terrible place Netflix must be to work.
“Depending on your role, you may need to work on titles that you find harmful,” the document reads. “If you’re having a hard time supporting our breadth of content, Netflix may not be the best place for you.”
Some of Chapelle’s jokes in The nearer are considered to be at the expense of transgender people and have been vocally protested by several advocacy groups such as the National Black Justice Coalition.
Netflix employees staged a strike over the special; Chappelle is accused of transphobia.
The document states: “Although each title is different, we approach them based on the same principles: we support the artistic expression of the creators we work with; we program for a variety of audiences and tastes; and we let viewers choose what’s appropriate for them, rather than having Netflix censor specific artists or voices.”
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Despite the emphasis on artistic expression and the bright minds that work at Netflix, a list of valued behaviors among employees under the heading “Passion” states the top priority: “Netflix’s success is very important to you.”
And there is this: “We model ourselves as a professional sports team, not as a family. A family thrives on unconditional love. A dream team is about making yourself the best possible teammate, caring deeply about your team and knowing that you might not be with the team forever.”
It’s also a reminder that a dream team might not be for everyone.
Archic and deeply condescending, the document includes a pep talk about responsibility, accountability and self-discipline that “drives us to do great work.”
And the goal?
“Create a strong sense of care for Netflix, so people do what is best for the company.”