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The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikely Supporter

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Re: The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikely Supporter

#31

Post by vixen99 »

kenko wrote: post #13
exstudent2 wrote: post #2

While I don't agree with everything Thiel believes, it's really, really refreshing to get a different take from the upper echelons of the tech industry. If you follow a lot of VCs and CEOs on Twitter you'll find that they have a nearly homogenous political groupthink. This industry needs more diversity of thought and Thiel stands alone in his strength to go against the grain and stand by his philosophy. Love his idea…

There's nothing admirable about "going against the grain" in itself. Probably most people in the upper echelons of tech wealth don't think it's a great idea to deport Muslims, and don't support Trump. I see no reason to admire someone for having a different opinion on that matter just because it's different . There are lots of ways to "go against the grain" in the way you point out. You could be an unthinking dogmati…

Link for Trump statement saying he wants to deport Muslims?

Re: The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikely Supporter

#32

Post by kenko »

exstudent2 wrote: post #20
kenko wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's nothing admirable about "going against the grain" in itself. Probably most people in the upper echelons of tech wealth don't think it's a great idea to deport Muslims, and don't support Trump. I see no reason to admire someone for having a different opinion on that matter just because it's different . There are lots of ways to "go against the grain" in the way you point out. You could be an unthinking dogmati…

> There's nothing admirable about "going against the grain" in itself. There is if you think the grain is a corrupt and unfair system that needs dismantling. The enemy of my enemy is my friend thing. I would consider myself to have overlapping social thoughts with most liberals but it's really terrifying to me to have an absolute aggregation of media and executive power (in our industry) along one line of thinking (e…

> There is if you think the grain is a corrupt and unfair system that needs dismantling. The enemy of my enemy is my friend thing.

No, there still isn't, because you seem to have missed the "in itself" part. Even in the case you identify, what is admirable is going against a corrupt grain (and presumably, we'd want to actually make it "going against a corrupt grain in a way likely to improve matters"; corruption is multiple and going against corruption in one respect isn't necessarily to go in a less-corrupt-overall direction), not "going against the grain" in itself.

Re: The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikely Supporter

#33

Post by fundameen »

There is no evidence that Thiel is a genius.

There's a large amount of evidence that he is not. And yet people still think that because one of his hundreds of investments made a lot of money that he must be a genius.

He's just not who people want him to be. He's not another Musk.

Re: The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikely Supporter

#34

Post by GuiA »

The Diversity Myth, a 1995 book [Thiel] co-wrote with David O. Sacks, railed against multiculturalism, which, they wrote, “exists to destroy Western culture.”

What is up with all these people lately thinking that Western culture is some form of homogeneous block that's been unadultered for millennia and has recently come under "multiculturalist" attack? Especially coming from the US, a country that didn't exist when my old high school was founded.

Re: The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikely Supporter

#35

Post by ZenSwordArts »

elcapitan wrote: post #4

How is "1. e4" an aggressive chess tactic? That's the most classical opening line of all.

Although calling 1.e4 aggressive is kind of inaccurate there is some truth behind it. You could at least consider it to be active or ambitious :)

1.e4 introduces a quick development of the white kingside and also the center usually is opened very early in the game.

Still the article proves to be somehow unqualified in terms of chess with the following sentence: 'It’s an aggressive tactic, putting the bishop and queen into play.. '.

Usually it is not a good idea to develop the queen early on and certainly not the idea behind 1.e4.

Re: The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikely Supporter

#36

Post by exstudent2 »

kenko wrote: post #32
exstudent2 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There's nothing admirable about "going against the grain" in itself. There is if you think the grain is a corrupt and unfair system that needs dismantling. The enemy of my enemy is my friend thing. I would consider myself to have overlapping social thoughts with most liberals but it's really terrifying to me to have an absolute aggregation of media and executive power (in our industry) along one line of thinking (e…

> There is if you think the grain is a corrupt and unfair system that needs dismantling. The enemy of my enemy is my friend thing. No, there still isn't, because you seem to have missed the "in itself" part. Even in the case you identify, what is admirable is going against a corrupt grain (and presumably, we'd want to actually make it "going against a corrupt grain in a way likely to improve matters"; corruption is m…

I mention it in another comment but the consolidation of power is a problem. It doesn't matter if I agree with those consolidating or not. I don't think Trump has a lot of support from the upper classes in the US. If he were to be elected he would be a weaker form of power than say Clinton being elected. That is a desirable outcome even if his policies are bad since he wouldn't be effective in rolling them out whereas Clinton would be more effective rolling out her possibly slightly less objectionable policies. There would be a greater loss to society in the latter situation.

Re: The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikely Supporter

#37

Post by pm90 »

exstudent2 wrote: post #12
maxxxxx wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand how somebody who claims to be fact-driven and rational like Thiel can end up supporting Trump. If anything, he should be disgusted with the whole system and try to change it.

> Thiel can end up supporting Trump I can't speak for him, but a lot of people see the break up of a homogenous status quo as a goal in and of itself. I don't support Trump because I don't like his policies but that's a hard position for me to take because I _do_ appreciate the utter slap in the face he's giving to traditional politicians who I view as perpetuating an extremely corrupt and damaging system.

If you think the US is extremely corrupt.... you should really take a look at India, Russia etc. Corruption is never elliminated by revolutions btw. It takes time and patience to reform the current system. It is not an overnight fix and thinking that Trump can have an overall positive influence on the US system is a huge error.

Re: The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikely Supporter

#38

Post by falsestprophet »

vkou wrote: post #26
falsestprophet wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thiel has opposed mass [1] immigration to the United States which should not be mistaken with opposition to all immigration. For context, only 15% of new lawful permanent residents in 2014 were selected for education or skill (the employment-preference category). [1] like (but not limited to) anyone who likes strolling over the border or overstaying visas

The net immigration rate to the US is 0.38%. That's hardly 'mass immigration.' I take it that means he's happy with the status quo? And, if not, when is he going back to Germany?

  10% of the California workforce is undocumented
  5% of the national workforce is undocumented

Re: The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikely Supporter

#39

Post by throwaway13337 »

falsestprophet wrote: post #23
bko wrote: post #16

> despite Trump’s advocacy of protectionist tariffs and extreme immigration restrictions, measures that would seem at odds with the radical libertarian image Thiel projects. This is what's most baffling considering Trump is the most statist candidate in modern politics. Most of his success is built on anti-immigration and tariffs. He may agree with more non-interventionist/isolationist foreign policy of Trump, but I…

Thiel has opposed mass [1] immigration to the United States which should not be mistaken with opposition to all immigration. For context, only 15% of new lawful permanent residents in 2014 were selected for education or skill (the employment-preference category). [1] like (but not limited to) anyone who likes strolling over the border or overstaying visas

As some of the siblings point out, it seems like a contradiction that he complains about the lack of tech workers but also is against mass immigration.

These aren't actually opposing when you look deeper - the US does not provide much of a means of legal immigration for high skilled worker.

On the other hand, the US also does not restrict illegal immigration so much - it's easy to get a menial job, a driver's license, just about everything without a legal visa status.

In essence, you have a defacto second class citizen type immigration with a very limited first class immigration ability of the US.

Probably this is the opposite of what would benefit the country most.

Re: The Strange Politics of Peter Thiel, Trump’s Most Unlikely Supporter

#40

Post by vkou »

falsestprophet wrote: post #23
bko wrote: post #16

> despite Trump’s advocacy of protectionist tariffs and extreme immigration restrictions, measures that would seem at odds with the radical libertarian image Thiel projects. This is what's most baffling considering Trump is the most statist candidate in modern politics. Most of his success is built on anti-immigration and tariffs. He may agree with more non-interventionist/isolationist foreign policy of Trump, but I…

Thiel has opposed mass [1] immigration to the United States which should not be mistaken with opposition to all immigration. For context, only 15% of new lawful permanent residents in 2014 were selected for education or skill (the employment-preference category). [1] like (but not limited to) anyone who likes strolling over the border or overstaying visas

Illegal immigration is not mass immigration. This is dog-whistle politics, that conveniently conflates opposition to something illegal, with something very appealing to xenophobes.
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