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Peter Thiel’s Embrace of Trump Has Silicon Valley Squirming

nytimes.com

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Re: Peter Thiel’s Embrace of Trump Has Silicon Valley Squirming

#41

Post by sevenless »

spraak wrote: post #15

> After that, he suggested, things went south because, among other things, women were given the right to vote. Wow, does Peter Thiel really think that women shouldn't be allowed to vote?

There's a certain conservative mentality that delights in being more-reactionary-than-thou.

When I encounter it I tend to say things like "Oh, the real problem started when we adopted agriculture in 6000BC. It was Big Government that wanted us to drop the hunter-gatherer lifestyle and submit to the state. And don't get me started on the invention of reading and writing..."

Re: Peter Thiel’s Embrace of Trump Has Silicon Valley Squirming

#43

Post by oh_sigh »

spraak wrote: post #15

> After that, he suggested, things went south because, among other things, women were given the right to vote. Wow, does Peter Thiel really think that women shouldn't be allowed to vote?

That doesn't necessarily follow, but I'm curious to hear the answer. You can think people should be allowed to do something, but that them doing that thing is harmful.

For example, look at all the people that lamented the fact that plebs voted for Brexit. A lot of anti-democracy talk around the time of that vote.

Re: Peter Thiel’s Embrace of Trump Has Silicon Valley Squirming

#44

Post by VodkaHaze »

maratd wrote: post #12
intopieces wrote: post #7

Given the libertarian/Randian streak that runs through silicon valley, support for Trump doesn't seem too outlandish. Especially when you consider his non-dedication to the typical right-wing 'family values' that aren't really popular in that region of California.

> Given the libertarian/Randian streak that runs through silicon valley, support for Trump doesn't seem too outlandish. What? Exactly what libertarian values does Trump espouse?

Think he has anything right of center cobbled up together in a neatly packed ball

Re: Peter Thiel’s Embrace of Trump Has Silicon Valley Squirming

#45

Post by tossaway1 »

oh_sigh wrote: post #27
callcallcall wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trump has an extensive history of using racism to divide people for his own benefit.

Examples? Should be pretty easy to find if it is an "extensive history"

http://fortune.com/2016/06/07/donald-trump-racism-quotes/

Re: Peter Thiel’s Embrace of Trump Has Silicon Valley Squirming

#46

Post by James001 »

josephlord wrote: post #31
seany wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't even think we're that rare. The more left leaning folks around here are just _really_ left though, so staying quiet makes more sense most of the time.

What do you like about him?

He's not a murderer, unlike the other option

Re: Peter Thiel’s Embrace of Trump Has Silicon Valley Squirming

#47

Post by pbreit »

oh_sigh wrote: post #27
callcallcall wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trump has an extensive history of using racism to divide people for his own benefit.

Examples? Should be pretty easy to find if it is an "extensive history"

The Wall? Anti-trade? Believes judges with Muslim or Mexican heritage are incapable of being fair?

Re: Peter Thiel’s Embrace of Trump Has Silicon Valley Squirming

#48

Post by rsmckinney »

jscott0918 wrote: post #8

This is interesting to me. The lack of diversity in the tech industry is definitely something that will be harmful in the long run. Diversity is necessary to improve the relevance of new ideas in tech and to promote them to broader audiences from different cultures. The trend towards making a pariah out of anyone with opposing points of view can be equally harmful to promoting diversity of thought. Making people afra…

Wait. What does the relevance of a new idea have to do with the ethnic composition of the people with the idea? Isn't that a racist statement? Fascinating.

My favorite part about the liberal mind are its obvious contradictions and, thus, the unintended consequences of its thought process.

Re: Peter Thiel’s Embrace of Trump Has Silicon Valley Squirming

#49

Post by anonymousguy »

harryh wrote: post #11
anonymousguy wrote: post #5

The Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson might set a record this year for highest votes attained by a third party candidate.

Perot got 18.9% of the popular vote in 1992. Gonna be tough to beat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_ele...

He is at 13% now and needs only to be at 15% to enter the national spotlight of increased media coverage and access to the general debates. His polling numbers are increasing with a notable momentum as general support of the Republican candidate and Democratic candidate are both at all time lows.

As long as the majority of voters think of Trump as a broke racist narcissist and Clinton as an apathetic or unethical elitist he may well have a chance.

http://heatst.com/politics/gary-johnsons-polling-numbers-rea...

Re: Peter Thiel’s Embrace of Trump Has Silicon Valley Squirming

#50

Post by rm_-rf_slash »

carsongross wrote: post #35
dforrestwilson wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not more Gary Johnson supporters?

Because there has been a collapse in right-leaning libertarianism in the post Ron Paul era. Libertarianism has shifted to the left and there has been an exodus of right-libertarians to various flavors of nationalism. I think this is one of the major intellectual stories of the last decade, largely uncovered by the media.

I would argue that it is the right's embrace of authoritarianism rooted in nativist and nationalist (some might even say racist) sentiments that pushed libertarians to the left, which is traditionally the sphere of people who have been historically oppressed or just want to be left alone.
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