American Engineer Slams 'Incompetent Indian' Stereotype, Praises "Sharp" Colleagues

A recent social media post attempting to stereotype Indian professionals as universally treating tasks with undue urgency has been sharply rebuked by a prominent American software engineer. John Freeman, who works at Citadel in New York, took to social media to commend his Indian colleagues, describing them as "pretty sharp" and "super friendly," in a direct challenge to the notion of widespread incompetence.

Viral Stereotype Draws Criticism

The controversy began with an X (formerly Twitter) post from a user identified as "Brotherhood." This post claimed that a specific "class of Indian incompetence" involved treating "every task as urgent, regardless of its actual priority." The user elaborated on an experience within a global implementation team, suggesting there was consistently "one Indian guy whose pet project was P1 super-urgent must-be-delivered yesterday," necessitating "change-control meetings" to justify task priorities The Indian Express.

Freeman Highlights Indian Competence and Leadership

In response, John Freeman penned a detailed post on X, articulating his positive experiences with Indian professionals. Freeman highlighted the prevalence of Indian leadership within his own company, stating, "My team lead is Indian. My boss is Indian. His boss, who hired both of us, is Indian. His boss, the CTO, is Indian." He unequivocally praised their capabilities, noting, "They’re all pretty sharp! They know this business inside and out. They work well with others. Everyone is super friendly. They all speak English very well."

Freeman further dismissed the "P1 urgent priority" stereotype, revealing that throughout his year at his current company, he had "never met an ‘everything is P1 urgent priority’ guy, of any race." He extended this observation to his previous employment, where his "last boss at my last company was Indian and he was pretty good too." Freeman concluded his rebuttal with a pointed observation: "If everyone you run into at your company is incompetent, then maybe your company just hires incompetents" The Indian Express.

Resonance and Support from X Users

Freeman’s defense of Indian professionals resonated broadly across the platform, garnering significant support from other X users. One commenter articulated the sentiment by stating, "This is what reality looks like when you stop inventing stereotypes. Competent people get promoted incompetent ones get loud on twitter. If your whole worldview collapses because Indians keep running things well that is a you problem not an India problem."

Multidimensional Thinking and Cultural Nuances

Another user delved into the specific strengths often associated with Indian leadership and professional approaches. They commented, "Unique thing about Indian leaders is the Multidimensional thinking & multitasking … that’s cultural !! If the Manager sets multiple P1s, it’s their level of thinking. It’s the Team’s competence to take the task. Business is Complex, not linear!" This perspective suggests that what might be perceived as over-prioritization by some could, in fact, be a reflection of a comprehensive and strategic approach to complex business challenges The Indian Express.

Challenging Preconceived Notions

The conversation highlights a broader issue of rapidly formed opinions and the perpetuation of stereotypes in digital spaces. As one user aptly put it, "India is 1000 layers woven into each other and observer will find whatever they want to find." This comment underscores the complexity of any national or cultural group, suggesting that sweeping generalizations often reveal more about the observer's biases than about the observed reality.

John Freeman's intervention serves as a notable example of a professional using their platform to counter prejudice and celebrate the diverse talent within the global workforce, reinforcing the idea that competence, work ethic, and collegiality are attributes found across all races and nationalities, irrespective of ill-informed stereotypes.