Live data from Hacker News

Sam Bankman-Fried tries to explain himself

vox.com

31–40 of 401 posts

Re: Sam Bankman-Fried tries to explain himself

#31
post #5

SBF is monumentally stupid for sending these messages. Straight up admitting that any "ethics" was for reputation only. And not only that, but saying that the mistake was not doubling down again.

Yeah after the NYT interview I'm a bit shocked at how bad these messages look. He looks stupid, brazen, delusional, and lacking in compassion. If his texts are normally similar to this, how did anyone serious think this guy was brilliant?

> how did anyone serious think this guy was brilliant?

He made a lot of money by bucking norms. Hacker news of all places should recognize that people are drawn to those who project an appearance of improbable success through skill despite a lack of underlying competence (see also: Elon Musk)

Re: Sam Bankman-Fried tries to explain himself

#32

A programmer who helped create Tornado Cash rots in a Dutch jail cell (not charged, might I add) while SBF, Do Kwan, Elizabeth Holmes, and Trevor Milton still remain free. SBF is actually in a $30 million penthouse playing League of Legends. Clown world

On the bright side, Holmes and Milton have been convicted and will be sentenced…Holmes’ sentencing is barely two days away.

Re: Sam Bankman-Fried tries to explain himself

#33

A programmer who helped create Tornado Cash rots in a Dutch jail cell (not charged, might I add) while SBF, Do Kwan, Elizabeth Holmes, and Trevor Milton still remain free. SBF is actually in a $30 million penthouse playing League of Legends. Clown world

I'd rather have an FTX scandal than Tornado Cash. I'd rather someone does some fraud than actual funneling of money to terrorists, druglords, gangs, and other problematic organizations.

Re: Sam Bankman-Fried tries to explain himself

#34
post #5

SBF is monumentally stupid for sending these messages. Straight up admitting that any "ethics" was for reputation only. And not only that, but saying that the mistake was not doubling down again.

Yeah after the NYT interview I'm a bit shocked at how bad these messages look. He looks stupid, brazen, delusional, and lacking in compassion. If his texts are normally similar to this, how did anyone serious think this guy was brilliant?

Maybe I'm out of the loop but I'd never heard of him til the FTX implosion.

Re: Sam Bankman-Fried tries to explain himself

#35

Jesus Christ…does this guy not know that you should keep quiet when you’re the subject of a criminal investigation from multiple government agencies?

This is further evidence that he was thinking of this in terms of all-or-nothing coin flips. In case you haven't seen it: COWEN: Okay, but let’s say there’s a game: 51 percent, you double the Earth out somewhere else; 49 percent, it all disappears. Would you play that game? And would you keep on playing that, double or nothing? BANKMAN-FRIED: With one caveat. Let me give the caveat first, just to be a party pooper, w…

SBF talks about money like a prop trader who thinks that blowing your account is just a thing that happens to everyone in their lifetime, crossed with an extreme Rationalist (of the self-described "Rationalist" community) who thinks everything can be reduced to choosing between Column A and Column B based on which column has more utils.

Re: Sam Bankman-Fried tries to explain himself

#36

A programmer who helped create Tornado Cash rots in a Dutch jail cell (not charged, might I add) while SBF, Do Kwan, Elizabeth Holmes, and Trevor Milton still remain free. SBF is actually in a $30 million penthouse playing League of Legends. Clown world

Holmes is getting sentenced this week. It took years to get there. This isn't going to happen overnight.

Re: Sam Bankman-Fried tries to explain himself

#37

A programmer who helped create Tornado Cash rots in a Dutch jail cell (not charged, might I add) while SBF, Do Kwan, Elizabeth Holmes, and Trevor Milton still remain free. SBF is actually in a $30 million penthouse playing League of Legends. Clown world

I'd rather have an FTX scandal than Tornado Cash. I'd rather someone does some fraud than actual funneling of money to terrorists, druglords, gangs, and other problematic organizations.

Tornado Cash is private banking. The writer of the code did nothing wrong by writing it.

Re: Sam Bankman-Fried tries to explain himself

#38

Jesus Christ…does this guy not know that you should keep quiet when you’re the subject of a criminal investigation from multiple government agencies?

This is further evidence that he was thinking of this in terms of all-or-nothing coin flips. In case you haven't seen it: COWEN: Okay, but let’s say there’s a game: 51 percent, you double the Earth out somewhere else; 49 percent, it all disappears. Would you play that game? And would you keep on playing that, double or nothing? BANKMAN-FRIED: With one caveat. Let me give the caveat first, just to be a party pooper, w…

>COWEN: Then you keep on playing the game. So, what’s the chance we’re left with anything? Don’t I just St. Petersburg paradox you into nonexistence?

>BANKMAN-FRIED: Well, not necessarily. Maybe you St. Petersburg paradox into an enormously valuable existence. That’s the other option.

This logic is literally "You either win the lotto or you don't, 50/50 chance"

Re: Sam Bankman-Fried tries to explain himself

#39

Jesus Christ…does this guy not know that you should keep quiet when you’re the subject of a criminal investigation from multiple government agencies?

This is further evidence that he was thinking of this in terms of all-or-nothing coin flips. In case you haven't seen it: COWEN: Okay, but let’s say there’s a game: 51 percent, you double the Earth out somewhere else; 49 percent, it all disappears. Would you play that game? And would you keep on playing that, double or nothing? BANKMAN-FRIED: With one caveat. Let me give the caveat first, just to be a party pooper, w…

Ah, a true genious mind...of a gambler.
Post reply on HN