Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Shame on Y Combinator

marco.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 1001 posts

Re: Shame on Y Combinator

#11

Post by freshyill »

bobjordan wrote: post #9

Conservatives have a right to their own set of values, like anti-abortion, faith-based education issues, smaller government, reduced taxes, etc., and they have a right to back whatever candidate aligns with their values. I'm a liberal but it is amazing to me to read these types of articles, from other liberals with zero tolerance for the alternative viewpoint. There should not even be a decision to be made here. It t…

I think a lot of people would take issue with equating Trump's racist campaign with their conservative values.

Re: Shame on Y Combinator

#13

Post by [deleted] »

_pius wrote: post #6

In this thread and others I've seen this: Shouldn't individuals have a right to have terrible opinions? Of course they do. But a surprising number of “free speech” and “free market” people don’t seem to understand how either works. Individuals have a right to support white nationalists. Individuals also have a right not to do business with those who support white nationalists. Individuals also have the right to organ…

[deleted]

Re: Shame on Y Combinator

#14

Post by idlewords »

permatech wrote: post #3

Wouldn't this sort of behavior play into Trump's view of 'the system' being rigged against him? Shouldn't individuals have a right to have terrible opinions?

No one is disputing Thiel's right to have terrible opinions, a right he exercises with gusto.

Re: Shame on Y Combinator

#15

Post by idlewords »

bobjordan wrote: post #9

Conservatives have a right to their own set of values, like anti-abortion, faith-based education issues, smaller government, reduced taxes, etc., and they have a right to back whatever candidate aligns with their values. I'm a liberal but it is amazing to me to read these types of articles, from other liberals with zero tolerance for the alternative viewpoint. There should not even be a decision to be made here. It t…

Political debate in the US has traditionally taken place in a framework of shared values. Some of these are: you accept electoral defeat, you nominate people with a basic minimum of human decency, and overt bigotry is not acceptable.

Within that framework, people have sharp disagreements over issues, some of them life-or-death (like abortion). But the framework is something that was sacrosanct, until this election.

The problem many people, including conservatives, have with Trump is that he breaks basic norms around how our democracy should work, and represents a threat to it. That's why Thiel's vocal support for his candidacy is so troubling. It's not just a case of someone whose politics I disagree with, it's someone financing the destruction of the whole apparatus those politics take place within.

Re: Shame on Y Combinator

#16

Post by trentmb »

idlewords wrote: post #15
bobjordan wrote: post #9

Conservatives have a right to their own set of values, like anti-abortion, faith-based education issues, smaller government, reduced taxes, etc., and they have a right to back whatever candidate aligns with their values. I'm a liberal but it is amazing to me to read these types of articles, from other liberals with zero tolerance for the alternative viewpoint. There should not even be a decision to be made here. It t…

Political debate in the US has traditionally taken place in a framework of shared values. Some of these are: you accept electoral defeat, you nominate people with a basic minimum of human decency, and overt bigotry is not acceptable. Within that framework, people have sharp disagreements over issues, some of them life-or-death (like abortion). But the framework is something that was sacrosanct, until this election. T…

> and overt bigotry is not acceptable.

I'm scared to ask- is this really true?

Re: Shame on Y Combinator

#17

Post by joshmn »

trentmb wrote: post #16
idlewords wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Political debate in the US has traditionally taken place in a framework of shared values. Some of these are: you accept electoral defeat, you nominate people with a basic minimum of human decency, and overt bigotry is not acceptable. Within that framework, people have sharp disagreements over issues, some of them life-or-death (like abortion). But the framework is something that was sacrosanct, until this election. T…

> and overt bigotry is not acceptable. I'm scared to ask- is this really true?

I'd personally like to think we've gotten better as a society over the years.

Re: Shame on Y Combinator

#19

Post by zepto »

idlewords wrote: post #7
DigitalSea wrote: post #2

This is a tricky situation. While many universally agree Trump is dangerous in his opinions and viewpoints on many issues, you can't just severe ties with an investor because of their political affiliation. Thiel might be supporting a candidate with racist and bigotry views, but this is his choice. When it comes to business, you should never make things personal and I think worrying about someone's political affiliat…

By Altman's own argument, there's a line Thiel could cross that would make YC sever ties with him. All it would take is for Thiel to repeat some of the things Trump said. So having a YC partner fund hate speech is okay, as long as it's by proxy. This is a baffling stance.

Perhaps Thiel dislikes the hate speech as much as you do, but dislikes Clinton's policy proposals even more.
Post reply on HN