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The Nerd Reich – Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy

simonandschuster.com

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Re: The Nerd Reich – Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy

#21

Post by pbiggar »

konart wrote: post #16
pbiggar wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is real. Gil Duran is extremely well respected among those of us who are against the fascist takeover of Silicon Valley, which has been well-documented for quite some time.

Not trying to say that you or Gil Duran is wrong, but any anti vaxxer or flat earther can say the same about their "theory" and their well respected writers.

Fair point so let me qualify that. Among the fairly mainstream US left, who have put significant work into documenting and pushing back against the rise of tech oligarchs, Gil Duran is well respected.

Re: The Nerd Reich – Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy

#23

Post by skrebbel »

scandox wrote: post #6
skrebbel wrote: post #2

I'm not a big sucker for this kind of un-nuanced "us vs them" rhetoric, but I gotta admit, the title is a stroke of genius.

Classic example of humour as stop-think

You're replying to a single-sentence comment that both calls out the ridiculousness of this book's argument and its funny title. Clearly I can hold two ideas in my head at once and maybe, just maybe, other people can too.

I struggle to imagine that anyone not already sympathetic to the high school classic "nerds suck" world view is going to suddenly be swayed by this funny book title.

Re: The Nerd Reich – Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy

#25

Post by lapcat »

Is there a HN convention for links to books?

This book appears to be available only for preorder now, not yet published. Nobody here has read it, nobody here can read it, and even if they could, this submission will disappear off the front pages before commenters have a chance to order and read the book. Thus the comments section here is going to be useless (or at least more useless than usual).

Re: The Nerd Reich – Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy

#28

Post by delichon »

noduerme wrote: post #20

I know it's fashionable to say that democracy itself leads to these outcomes that destroy democracy. I think Arendt was right about self-colonization and overproduction of elites being the main thing that leads to totalitarianism. There wouldn't even be such a thing as a silicon valley billionaire if the United States wasn't the most wildly successful political entity for the past 2000 years. Power corrupts, but that…

> There wouldn't even be such a thing as a silicon valley billionaire if the United States wasn't the most wildly successful political entity for the past 2000 years.

It's less wildly successful as a political entity than Christianity or Islam.

Re: The Nerd Reich – Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy

#29

Post by sach1 »

scandox wrote: post #6
skrebbel wrote: post #2

I'm not a big sucker for this kind of un-nuanced "us vs them" rhetoric, but I gotta admit, the title is a stroke of genius.

Classic example of humour as stop-think

Classic example of motivated reasoning as stop think. Condescend at your own peril.

Re: The Nerd Reich – Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy

#30

Post by edu »

konart wrote: post #8

>democracy is being dismantled not by coups or tanks, but by code, capital, and the illusion of innovation Not sure "code" belongs here. Even less sure about "illusion". Take those away and what is left is "dismantled... by capital". Nothing new, really.

Code absolutely belongs there. Like any technology (be it printing presses, weapons, or algorithms) code is neutral by design, but not by impact.

It can bolster democracies or undermine them. The real agency lies with those who wield it. And it's rarely the coders. It's the leaders, the platforms, the systems that choose how code is deployed.

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