Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons

Post by bko » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 12:27 PM UTC

Kristine1975 wrote: post #19

bko wrote: post #17

> Litigation finance is typically a business venture. It doesn’t become charity because a wealthy person uses it as a template for a personal crusade and then insists he’s doing everyone else a favor. Why? Many cases brought by individuals or groups on moral grounds have led the way to better governance. A lot of good work has been done by groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Why should individuals or g…

>These articles attacking Thiel framed as billionaire versus journalists doesn't even mention this fact. This one does though: >As for Gawker, it disseminated a sex tape of a retired pro wrestler. Let’s not pretend that the website did it as part of a great journalistic mission. Gawker did it to lure eyes to its website while smugly saying the First Amendment sheltered it. The author's beef isn't with Thiel using his…

Post by CPLX » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 12:29 PM UTC

geomark wrote: post #3

From the article: "Many are growing disillusioned because they bought what Silicon Valley sold them: an idealistic and almost utopian vision in which the technological advances of the Information Age would change the world -- or at least the Western world -- for the universal good." Maybe it's just me, but I only occoasionally even heard of that idea, much less bought into it. Am I that far out of the echo chamber?

Post by nxzero » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 12:34 PM UTC

plehoux wrote: post #14

This is totally BS. Litigation finance has been around for years, and has been done by all kind of people and organizations for all kind of purposes. Thiel is rich, he does things, there is no causality with 'tech' here. > Maybe it’s time for Silicon Valley to tone things down. To admit that, no, the Valley can’t solve all human problems -- not even close -- and never will. W T F.

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 12:42 PM UTC

byuu wrote: post #12

DeusExMachina wrote: post #7

For the record, Scott Adams also believes in the philanthropic nature of Thiel's actions: http://blog.dilbert.com/post/145205211401/billionaire-brandi...

"I can't believe Scott Adams holds such a crazy opinion!" -- said nobody ever. I see no reason to take sides on this debacle. Both Nick Denton and Peter Thiel are guilty of absolutely awful behavior. Denton for outing people and publishing private videos; Thiel for Paypal (and its horrible practices) and using his wealth to bankroll personal vendettas. Both are happy to exploit others for their own personal gain. The…

Post by saiya-jin » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 12:45 PM UTC

Kristine1975 wrote: post #19

bko wrote: post #17

> Litigation finance is typically a business venture. It doesn’t become charity because a wealthy person uses it as a template for a personal crusade and then insists he’s doing everyone else a favor. Why? Many cases brought by individuals or groups on moral grounds have led the way to better governance. A lot of good work has been done by groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Why should individuals or g…

>These articles attacking Thiel framed as billionaire versus journalists doesn't even mention this fact. This one does though: >As for Gawker, it disseminated a sex tape of a retired pro wrestler. Let’s not pretend that the website did it as part of a great journalistic mission. Gawker did it to lure eyes to its website while smugly saying the First Amendment sheltered it. The author's beef isn't with Thiel using his…