Once again, Tony finds himself at the center of a toxic culture characterized by suspicion and silence. Except this time, there’s no escape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A quick note before we begin.
This episode includes discussions about suicide.
Please take care while listening.
If you're struggling with your mental health, help is available in the US.
You can contact Mental Health America on 800 273 8255.
In the UK, the charity mind is available on o 300 123 3393.
In the last episode, we heard how afraid ovec Banerjee was to share his concerns about the downtown project and how devastating it was when those concerns were dismissed.
Its not the only occasion someone spoke up about the project, only to feel unheard and unsafe.
Throughout my reporting, several people have shared similar stories on the condition of anonymity.
One local told me about being reprimanded after voicing concerns about the downtown project.
They said a representative told them off, saying that their comments had upset Tony.
Another person shared how DTP representatives urged them to inform another local who had been publicly critical of some initiatives, to be quiet.
Now.
Note that these people didn't even work for the DTP.
For all the downtown projects rhetoric about community for all the talk about Zappos being the happiest company, for all of Tony's famous writing about creating company cultures where people could be their real selves, in my 15 years as a journalist reporting on everything from corporate wrongdoing to sexual abuse, I've never found it harder to get people to talk.
People are wary of the consequences, be they intimidation or legal action, or they simply dont want to revisit bad memories.
As Anando, Oviks brother said, there was.
A weird amount of fear for a place that was supposed to be unicorns and sunshine.
And I think this culture of fear has a lot to do with what sends the downtown project into free fall.
So where were we in 2014?