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The Epstein scandal at MIT shows the moral bankruptcy of techno elites

theguardian.com

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Re: The Epstein scandal at MIT shows the moral bankruptcy of techno elites

#11

Post by tempsy »

rowanG077 wrote: post #8
tempsy wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Think about what both sides get in this transaction. Wealthy elites are using universities for prestige and to wash their reputations of past transgressions. Universities, in turn, get easy money from the rich.

You think Epstein funding some research washes him of his past transgressions? I have never heard anyone say that. Nor do I think we should stop people that have done wrong from doing right afterwards because it could "wash their reputations from past transgressions". We have something called the law that should bring justice to people.

I think you are more naive than you think. Think for a second.

The most egregious example of this is the Sackler family's ( Purdue Pharma/Opioids) massive donations to the arts/museums. They should not receive the glory and praise for their generosity to the arts for triggering the deaths of so many Americans in the pursuit of drug profits.

Re: The Epstein scandal at MIT shows the moral bankruptcy of techno elites

#12

Post by bb88 »

rowanG077 wrote: post #8
tempsy wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Think about what both sides get in this transaction. Wealthy elites are using universities for prestige and to wash their reputations of past transgressions. Universities, in turn, get easy money from the rich.

You think Epstein funding some research washes him of his past transgressions? I have never heard anyone say that. Nor do I think we should stop people that have done wrong from doing right afterwards because it could "wash their reputations from past transgressions". We have something called the law that should bring justice to people.

Isn't that the way the world works? Someone does something bad, gets caught, and all of a sudden gives an endowment to some university or pediatric research agency? I mean, isn't that the way billionaire's revamp their image?

Re: The Epstein scandal at MIT shows the moral bankruptcy of techno elites

#13

Post by rowanG077 »

tempsy wrote: post #11
rowanG077 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think Epstein funding some research washes him of his past transgressions? I have never heard anyone say that. Nor do I think we should stop people that have done wrong from doing right afterwards because it could "wash their reputations from past transgressions". We have something called the law that should bring justice to people.

I think you are more naive than you think. Think for a second. The most egregious example of this is the Sackler family's ( Purdue Pharma/Opioids) massive donations to the arts/museums. They should not receive the glory and praise for their generosity to the arts for triggering the deaths of so many Americans in the pursuit of drug profits.

Why not? They did both. We should recognize them for both. Why do you feel the need to portray them in such a one dimensional way?

Re: The Epstein scandal at MIT shows the moral bankruptcy of techno elites

#14

Post by natalyarostova »

ve55 wrote: post #5

Kind of weird how they discuss a single case and then literally write that one should "refuse the money of tech billionaires". Sounds like an absurd overreaction. Worth checking out https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/07/29/against-against-billio...

The important thing is that the guardian/nytimes figured out how to connect this back to tech=bad, which is an ongoing interest of theirs.

Re: The Epstein scandal at MIT shows the moral bankruptcy of techno elites

#15

Post by [deleted] »

bb88 wrote: post #12
rowanG077 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think Epstein funding some research washes him of his past transgressions? I have never heard anyone say that. Nor do I think we should stop people that have done wrong from doing right afterwards because it could "wash their reputations from past transgressions". We have something called the law that should bring justice to people.

Isn't that the way the world works? Someone does something bad, gets caught, and all of a sudden gives an endowment to some university or pediatric research agency? I mean, isn't that the way billionaire's revamp their image?

[deleted]

Re: The Epstein scandal at MIT shows the moral bankruptcy of techno elites

#16

Post by bb88 »

rowanG077 wrote: post #2

I really don't follow. What does Epsteins background have to do with the funding he was bringing to MIT? People aren't one dimensional. What Epstein did was disgusting, it has nothing to do with him funding some MIT research. MIT taking that funding is not in any way supporting what Epstein did.

What's ironic, is that's the same mentality that Joichi Ito had to resign for.

Money that comes from illegal or immoral activity colors it. You may think it's the same money, but the source of the money is important for institutions that have moral and ethical standards.

Re: The Epstein scandal at MIT shows the moral bankruptcy of techno elites

#17

Post by AYBABTME »

tempsy wrote: post #11
rowanG077 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think Epstein funding some research washes him of his past transgressions? I have never heard anyone say that. Nor do I think we should stop people that have done wrong from doing right afterwards because it could "wash their reputations from past transgressions". We have something called the law that should bring justice to people.

I think you are more naive than you think. Think for a second. The most egregious example of this is the Sackler family's ( Purdue Pharma/Opioids) massive donations to the arts/museums. They should not receive the glory and praise for their generosity to the arts for triggering the deaths of so many Americans in the pursuit of drug profits.

I think the naive approach is to think that things are black and white, absolutely good or absolutely bad, and so on by mere association. Scientifically useful results from scientists that are awful humans are still useful results on their own. A donation to a University (assuming no strings attached) doesn't make the University wrong by association, despite a donator who's an awful entity. Governments collect taxes from good and bad people and no one blinks an eye thinking the governments should lift their nose and walk away from money coming from criminals.

Re: The Epstein scandal at MIT shows the moral bankruptcy of techno elites

#18

Post by burnstek »

If you have a problem with MIT taking Epstein's money, then you have a problem with money in general. We all take money in some fashion from disgusting, psychotic, and evil people on a regular basis. Particularly so when we're on social security, medicare, or another social program.

It's like the people who are against hunting, but who are happy to eat store bought meat.

Re: The Epstein scandal at MIT shows the moral bankruptcy of techno elites

#19

Post by tempsy »

bb88 wrote: post #12
rowanG077 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think Epstein funding some research washes him of his past transgressions? I have never heard anyone say that. Nor do I think we should stop people that have done wrong from doing right afterwards because it could "wash their reputations from past transgressions". We have something called the law that should bring justice to people.

Isn't that the way the world works? Someone does something bad, gets caught, and all of a sudden gives an endowment to some university or pediatric research agency? I mean, isn't that the way billionaire's revamp their image?

What’s your point? If elite child prostitution rings are “the way the world works” why should we continuing normalizing that as a society?

Re: The Epstein scandal at MIT shows the moral bankruptcy of techno elites

#20

Post by [deleted] »

bb88 wrote: post #16
rowanG077 wrote: post #2

I really don't follow. What does Epsteins background have to do with the funding he was bringing to MIT? People aren't one dimensional. What Epstein did was disgusting, it has nothing to do with him funding some MIT research. MIT taking that funding is not in any way supporting what Epstein did.

What's ironic, is that's the same mentality that Joichi Ito had to resign for. Money that comes from illegal or immoral activity colors it. You may think it's the same money, but the source of the money is important for institutions that have moral and ethical standards.

[deleted]
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