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Re: undefined

#121

> 3. Ethics matter. I don't believe there's any life after this one Serious, non-troll question: why bother? If there isn't any scope outside of the current perceived existence, and we're all so much "smart dirt", then the difference between kindness and malevolence seems moot. Note: I do subscribe to an explicit meaning to life, so this is posed more to express bewilderment at the alternative than reveal any anxiety…

that's what I thought if you don't believe in God then the only sensible option is to maximise your function while you still breathe.

What I'm questioning is how we got to 'sensible' here.

Re: undefined

#122

> I had a lot of interaction with a startup incubator you know well, and ended up sitting in the discussions and planning around banning and erasing a young programmer we considered a threat to our financial interests, due to his concerns about authoritarianism in technology. And… this wasn’t immediately seen as being deeply unethical and downright evil? Most of the western world punched Nazis on purpose 80 years ago…

> And… this wasn’t immediately seen as being deeply unethical and downright evil?

Oh, these people know it's evil - from the second they suggest it. The personality types associated with SV leadership are simply wired for rationalising evil as a means to any business end. It's just implicitly accepted that it's an appropriate tool to be wielded.

You're the weird one who "just doesn't get it" if you push back. Push back hard enough and you'll quickly find yourself on the receiving end.

Reminds me of: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBay_stalking_scandal

Re: undefined

#124
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But if there is no afterlife, why does building caring and just society matter? Because some (most?) of us are empathetic and compassionate people. We care about others and hurt when they hurt. We want to live in a just society and want to leave behind a just society for others after us. The fact that it requires „training your conscience“ to „trample on the lives of others“ suggests that such an outlook is not a d…

Most of us are egoistic a-holes, and most of us like to build false picture of them in their minds so we can have nice time thinking that we are good persons.

[dead]

Re: undefined

#125
I appreciate your insight. I have done this and that and am also most pleased with my shed.

I am a christian and do believe in heaven. I'm going to say a prayer now in my little office and ask that you find your way there, whether today or another day. God bless.

Re: undefined

#126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's wrong with "because of social and evolutionary pressure"?

"Evolitionary" implies some direction and execution scope, does it not? Possibly I'm guilty of over-reading the word.

Possibly you're over-reading, but definitely you didn't answer my question.

Re: undefined

#127
post #120

Huh, I do recall a certain anti-corporate individual (with the initials MOC) that was fairly loud and prolific on both HN and Reddit around that time, including insisting that pg and other tech leaders were trying to get him canceled (well, before the term existed, I think). If this was him, perhaps he wasn't as much of a crackpot as many assumed he was.

https://michaelochurch.wordpress.com/2016/04/ looks like it.

Capitalism is a scam against the working class. I dont know how people can read things like this and not want a huge reform. The OP "just following orders" is ridiculous.

Also, whenever the question "where are the tech unions at," comes up ,its because the system crushes anyone who is slightly left leaning in this regard.

Excerpt:

You’d be one of the best people they’ve seen in years, and unlike the people around them, you’re honest and ethical. The thing that’s holding you back is… a reputation problem. People Google you and think, “This guy’s going to start a union.”

This is going to make it hard to place you. Guys like [name] don’t like people they can’t buy. If I were you, I’d start blogging again and come out against unions. Do that for six months, and I can put you anywhere you want to go.

Re: undefined

#129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Evolitionary" implies some direction and execution scope, does it not? Possibly I'm guilty of over-reading the word.

Possibly you're over-reading, but definitely you didn't answer my question.

More explicitly, then, "evolutionary" implies some grasp of a direction toward which things evolve.

Otherwise, it's just so many chemical reactions.

Re: undefined

#130
>Ethics matter. I don't believe there's any life after this one, but I find myself ruminating on what I've done. In 2015, I had a lot of interaction with a startup incubator you know well, and ended up sitting in the discussions and planning around banning and erasing a young programmer we considered a threat to our financial interests, due to his concerns about authoritarianism in technology. In retrospect, he was harmless, but an example had to be made. The decision was made to ban him here, try to get him fired though I don't know if we succeeded, and attack him with sockpuppets on Reddit, and it seems to have worked because you don't hear his name much.

What have you done since then to mitigate this very egregious harm?

I have not found your success, and I suspect it's because I too am "anti-authoritarian" -- I had folks try to convince me to do "scholarshop for service" and act like I was crazy when I expressed worry if the presidency went from D to R, someone might do crazy shit like initiate a government shutdown making it impossible to fulfull my service, and then I'd get a bill for a degree I didn't want.

https://cyberscoop.com/government-shutdown-cybersecurity-wor...

In fact, every prediction I made about creeping authoritarianism down to a member of the national guard being shot dead outside where I used to toil away as a public interest lobbyist has come true.

I'm having one of the worst emotional nights of my life tonight -- and maybe I'll regret this post, but why do you feel you're in any way good, to put your boot on on the necks of others then say all the right things at the last second to ease your conscience while those of us who actually acted in the public interest are harassed and abused?

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