I worked at Google for 7 years and watched the culture die. The company is doomed to repeat unnecessary embarrassment if they don't fix it.

• David Kiferbaum worked in various roles at Google between 2015 and 2023. 
• He observed the fall of Google's open culture and its impact on Google's product. 
• This essay first appeared in Big Technology, a newsletter about tech and society, and was republished with permission. 

In my seven years at Google, one of the most shocking moments came after I questioned our fixation with the word "guys."