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Google Critic Ousted from Think Tank Funded by the Tech Giant

nytimes.com

21–30 of 481 posts

Re: Google Critic Ousted from Think Tank Funded by the Tech Giant

#21
The reality is that thinktank as corporate patronage is a trend that extended long before Google -- it's a problem we have to face where money can buy ideas. It just so happens that it's Google or Facebook who has the overwhelming share of money as opposed to Exxon.

Re: Google Critic Ousted from Think Tank Funded by the Tech Giant

#24
post #5

Obligatory Taleb comment: "Think tanks are natural lobbies w/a facade of "research" Their cover allows them to censor dissent from monoculture" https://twitter.com/nntaleb/status/902859415375798274 OT: I'm curious how many hours will this post survive on the front page

In Denmark we have two major economic think tanks, that are respectively self-declared right wing and left wing and they continually release results supporting expanded welfare and the other expanded free trade / lower tax. It is ridiculous that either is taken serious.

People have confirmation bias. They love when there is a "credible" source putting out results that are in agreement with the position they already hold. They can then use this "evidence" to justify their position. Everyone is guilty of this to some extent. The only way to mitigate confirmation bias is to be willing to entertain the idea that it affects you too.

Re: Google Critic Ousted from Think Tank Funded by the Tech Giant

#25
90 points in less than an hour. This guy's fight for his right to be wrong is surprisingly energising to this community.

I'm even sympathetic to the criticism of Google. But for the life of me I can't figure out why this particular employment dispute gets this sort of billing... Arguably the US government (an entity endowed with something literally called "the monopoly on violence") just pardoned someone who build an actual concentration camp (his words) in the middle of the US. And had his goons start criminal investigations against journalists. And, you know, continued actually killing people after being told by a court that he should maybe not do that.

Now the victims were mostly brown and did not have enough stock options to coast for the next decade, so it maybe somewhat hard to relate to for the community. But no matter how hard I try, I can't see reason why one story is running to the top every second day, and others are nowhere to be found.

Re: Google Critic Ousted from Think Tank Funded by the Tech Giant

#26
I'm not normally a grammar pedant, but i had to reread the first two opening paragraphs several times before I understood what was going on:

> The New America Foundation has received more than $21 million from Google; its parent company’s executive chairman, Eric Schmidt; and his family’s foundation since the think tank’s founding in 1999.

Semicolons aren't glorified commas. Stop it. Bad! Bad! :-p

Re: Google Critic Ousted from Think Tank Funded by the Tech Giant

#27
post #5

Obligatory Taleb comment: "Think tanks are natural lobbies w/a facade of "research" Their cover allows them to censor dissent from monoculture" https://twitter.com/nntaleb/status/902859415375798274 OT: I'm curious how many hours will this post survive on the front page

In Denmark we have two major economic think tanks, that are respectively self-declared right wing and left wing and they continually release results supporting expanded welfare and the other expanded free trade / lower tax. It is ridiculous that either is taken serious.

They aren't though. They are used by the political parties but no one takes them seriously.
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