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

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

theguardian.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 122 posts

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

#51

Post by rowanG077 »

bb88 wrote: post #42
rowanG077 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This doesn't answer the question. You really think a person that knows Epstein has done the things he has done and knows about the "The Jeffrey Epstein Research Lab at MIT" is going to think that Epstein is some A OK dude?

Most likely, you didn't know about the evils of Jeffrey Epstein until a Miami Herald reporter started to dig into the story, and then got picked up by national papers. Had that not have happened, most people to this day would still think he's probably an "A OK dude."

I didn't hear about the evils of Jeffrey Epstein. In fact I didn't know the guy at all.

But to disprove your point. If I go back one year with the wayback machine and look at his wikipedia the first sentence on his page mentions he is a registered sex offender[1].

[1] https://web.archive.org/web/20180807122025/https://en.wikipe...

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

#54

Post by bb88 »

darawk wrote: post #45
bb88 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Does that actually launder anyone's reputation? Epstein was doing this sort of stuff before he was ever arrested. He seems to have been legitimately interested in funding science research. Unfortunately the world is actually complicated and people aren't simply one-dimensional villains. The guy did some genuinely good things, in a seemingly honest way. That doesn't in any way absolve him of the horrible things he did…

Yes. It does. Money changes minds. And if you believe it does not, I have $100,000 that says it will.

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

#55

Post by rowanG077 »

bradly wrote: post #35
rowanG077 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depends on what you mean by recognize. I certainly don't think we should hide it. I also don't think we should "forget" the person is a rapist. But the main point I am making is that we shouldn't stop the rapist from making charitable givings. Nor should we punish institutions for taking that money.

Many people believe the charitable givings were what gave Epstein his credibility, allowing him to continue what he was doing. Accepting the donations was enabling Epstein.

Is there actual proof of the government knowing about Epsteins actions and looking the other way because of his donations? I find that really hard to believe...

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

#56

Post by deogeo »

pessimizer wrote: post #44
BurningFrog wrote: post #24

"This single event shows how corrupt this class of people I already disliked is!" is the definition of how prejudice works.

"This single event is additional information that I'm pointing out because it reinforces points I've made frequently in the past, while pointing out different events." That's the definition of empirical argumentation.

Now try applying it to other groups of people.

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

#58

Post by howeyc »

New charity donation questionnaire for prospective donors...

Have you:

* Engaged in any activities the general public would find reprehensible?

* Plan on doing so in the future?

Are you:

* Generally disliked by the general public?

* Possibly going to be targeted by public outrage at some point?

---

If you answered yes to any of the above, we regret to inform you that your charitable donation cannot be accepted.

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

#59

Post by anigbrowl »

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.

Here is what Epstein's background had to do with it: there's good reason to think that much of his wealth came from blackmailing other people that he encountered or lured into the circles of organized sexual abuse, and that this fact was widely known. That's why Ito at the MIT media lab wrote to his colleagues that epstein's donations should be listed as 'anonymous' to minimize the scrutiny thereof.

If you are having difficulty understanding this issue then you are either immature or socially illiterate. You might as well ask what harm a cancer on one of your organs is since it hasn't metastasized yet.

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

#60

Post by tomjakubowski »

darawk wrote: post #41
BurningFrog wrote: post #24

"This single event shows how corrupt this class of people I already disliked is!" is the definition of how prejudice works.

It's clear at this point that traditional journalists are opposed to tech because of what it's done to their profession. I don't blame them for being upset, but the way it's manifesting here is not good for anyone.

morozov is more like an academic than a journalist
Post reply on HN