Careless People • Hacker News Board

Re: Careless People

#11

Post by brickfaced » Thu, Apr 24, 2025, 10:23 AM UTC

mariusor wrote: post #7

brickfaced wrote: post #3

[flagged]

I think the comparison is not meant to be between degrees of horribleness between the two events, but between degrees of complicity and denial on the part of Facebook management.

Complicity in what, exactly? Democracy? Personally I'm less concerned about Facebook staying neutral in 2016 and more concerned about their election sabotage in 2020:

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3616579-zuckerberg-tel...

Of course in the end things turned out for the best, but that's almost certainly not what Sheryl wanted, so I guess it's on theme for the book.

Re: Careless People

#12

Post by js8 » Thu, Apr 24, 2025, 10:32 AM UTC

TheAceOfHearts wrote: post #9

> There's Zuck, whose underlings let him win at board-games like Settlers of Catan because he's a manbaby who can't lose (and who accuses Wynn-Williams of cheating when she fails to throw a game of Ticket to Ride while they're flying in his private jet). Why does this seem to be a recurring pattern among the modern ultrawealthy? Does anyone who fails to bend over backwards for them just end up getting exiled? Have th…

> Have the elites through history always been this insecure or is it a modern phenomenon?

Yes. As a kid, I read a legend that one of the Charlemagne's knights got so annoyed for losing a game of chess that he killed his opponent with the chessboard.

Re: Careless People

#13

Post by kbrtalan » Thu, Apr 24, 2025, 10:32 AM UTC

foobarkey wrote: post #5

Its a good book I read it, the only thing that she messed up though is not letting her exec level shares vest and be quiet until then imo :)

just the opposite. She put her money where her mouth was and didn't trade her dignity for some cash

Re: Careless People

#14

Post by K0nserv » Thu, Apr 24, 2025, 10:32 AM UTC

The book is a good read and she also testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee[0], repeating many of the claims from the book under oath. One of the striking things is that it's clear that Mark and several others from Facebook perjured themselves in prior hearings. I expect there will be no consequence for this.

0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3DAnORfgB8

Re: Careless People

#15

Post by binaryturtle » Thu, Apr 24, 2025, 10:33 AM UTC

matthewdgreen wrote: post #4

I’m only part of the way through the book, so have nothing to spoil here. But it’s entertaining. And shocking. The author will relate a scene that’s so absurd that you think “ah, this can’t be true, this is made up for dramatic effect, nobody would act like that” and then you Google it and you realize the absurd thing is totally true and was fully documented at the time. All the author is adding is a perspective from…

It's called the Streisand Effect. :)

Re: Careless People

#16

Post by tux3 » Thu, Apr 24, 2025, 10:34 AM UTC

TheAceOfHearts wrote: post #9

> There's Zuck, whose underlings let him win at board-games like Settlers of Catan because he's a manbaby who can't lose (and who accuses Wynn-Williams of cheating when she fails to throw a game of Ticket to Ride while they're flying in his private jet). Why does this seem to be a recurring pattern among the modern ultrawealthy? Does anyone who fails to bend over backwards for them just end up getting exiled? Have th…

Success has a part of skill, and a part of luck. It hurts to be reminded about skill issues.

Board games aren't as simple as time invested. I could spend my whole life studying chess, and some 13yo prodigy will handily beat me blindfolded, while juggling three other boards.

Board games cannot be conquered with wealth or a successful business. Or, rather, they can, but only by pressuring your underlings into letting you win; giving you the feeling you crave.

Re: Careless People

#17

Post by vmurthy » Thu, Apr 24, 2025, 10:34 AM UTC

I read the book. It’s a very interesting read. A few things stood out ( no spoilers )

- Casual indifference at exec level to atrocities happening because of FB/ Meta.

- Money/power does make you insensitive

- Tech bro view of the world permeates most decisions that Meta takes.

- Casual sexual harassment for women ( follows from the tech bro worldview I guess )

- US centric world view influencing how execs treat world leaders.

All in all worth a read or two!

Re: Careless People

#18

Post by Aeolun » Thu, Apr 24, 2025, 10:36 AM UTC

grunder_advice wrote: post #8

Whenever these kind of articles pop up, I always think how sad it is that PyTorch, Llama and many widely used opens source projects are tied to Meta.

They are open-source. Shouldn’t we be happy that at least something good comes of that sentient pile of cash?

Re: Careless People

#19

Post by lud_lite » Thu, Apr 24, 2025, 10:36 AM UTC

Don't mess with a Kiwi I guess :)

That said FB sounds evil not careless.

Re: Careless People

#20

Post by ryandrake » Thu, Apr 24, 2025, 10:37 AM UTC

TheAceOfHearts wrote: post #9

> There's Zuck, whose underlings let him win at board-games like Settlers of Catan because he's a manbaby who can't lose (and who accuses Wynn-Williams of cheating when she fails to throw a game of Ticket to Ride while they're flying in his private jet). Why does this seem to be a recurring pattern among the modern ultrawealthy? Does anyone who fails to bend over backwards for them just end up getting exiled? Have th…

Probably have been told their whole lives that they are so smart, clever, and special, that they will (and rightly should) always win. So any loss immediately looks to them like foul play by their opponent(s). Even if it's just a casual game. Anyone telling them otherwise doesn't last long in their orbit. As they gain power, they naturally grow a bubble of sycophants who reinforce their "I always win" beliefs.