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Re: undefined

#21

Post by nerdponx »

sportanova wrote: post #13
shaldengeki wrote: post #5

To me, he comes off here as completely uninformed about virtually every subject in which he is interviewed. I'm not sure why he'd agree to an interview if he wasn't going to do _some_ preparation. Just look at this trainwreck: > When I remark that President Obama had eight years without any ethical shadiness, Mr. Thiel flips it, noting: “But there’s a point where no corruption can be a bad thing. It can mean that thi…

No ethical shadiness? Domestic spying, civilian casualties through the drone program, IRS interference in an election against political opponents...

Not to mention staying silent on the Dakota Access pipeline and continuing the drug war unabated.

Re: undefined

#22

Post by ensignavenger »

kafkaesq wrote: post #12
ensignavenger wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That has been confirmed? I haven't heard about any convictions- has he made some admission I haven't heard about? Bill Clinton wasn't elected (he hasn't held the "highest office in the land" for some years now)... so I am little confused at this sentiment?

Has he made some admission I haven't heard about? What he says on the tape (in conjunction with perfectly credible statements from multiple witnesses) tells you everything you need to know. And BTW, the standard shouldn't be whether he's been criminally convicted or not; but "preponderance of evidence". As in the, you know, rational, pragmatic "Would you even consider (for so much as half a second) hiring someone who…

Well, I certainly didn't vote for him. But by your standard of evidence, I would have to say that we already elected someone that is just as much "confirmed serial sexual predator" who served as President for 8 years. In fact, the evidence against them is much stronger. Said former President was repeatedly defended by Trumps primary former rival for the position... so what choice did Americans really have? In the end, not a very good one.

Re: undefined

#24

Post by sean_patel »

SmallBets wrote: post #6

I had never heard this, potentially SV history changing story before... He recalls a story from his and Mr. Musk’s PayPal days, when Mr. Musk joined the engineering team’s poker game and bet everything on every hand, admitting only afterward that it was his first time playing poker. Then there was the time they were driving in Mr. Musk’s McLaren F1 car, “the fastest car in the world.” It hit an embankment, achieved l…

> “It was a miracle neither of us were hurt,”

Crashing “the fastest car in the world.” and coming out of it without a scratch = Made up story. It seems like Thiel makes up exicting heroic stories, just like Trump, to compensate for an otherwise boring excitement-less life.

Re: undefined

#25

Post by argonaut »

shaldengeki wrote: post #5

To me, he comes off here as completely uninformed about virtually every subject in which he is interviewed. I'm not sure why he'd agree to an interview if he wasn't going to do _some_ preparation. Just look at this trainwreck: > When I remark that President Obama had eight years without any ethical shadiness, Mr. Thiel flips it, noting: “But there’s a point where no corruption can be a bad thing. It can mean that thi…

I dislike his views, but one thing Thiel is most certainly not is misinformed. His interpretations may be completely wrong, but he is not misinformed. I recall an interview of Marc Andreessen where Marc said he had to do a ton of preparation just to stand toe to toe in a debate with Thiel.

If you believe that, then look for other explanations for his oddball statements. The contrarian angle seems like the right one - Thiel has lamented in the past that you can't say certain things anymore. He might be saying these things just to provoke a reaction.

Re: undefined

#26

Post by codingdave »

The headline is misleading - nothing was explained about Thiel at all in this article, unless they wanted us to conclude that he is an uninformed rich guy just living off his wealth from a lucky Facebook investment. I don't know whether that impression is true or not, but it definitely is what I am left with after reading the entire article, as all I got from his answers was that he likes to play with words and scenarios in a sophomoric way more than he actually analyzes what is going on in the world.

Re: undefined

#27

Post by shaldengeki »

sportanova wrote: post #13
shaldengeki wrote: post #5

To me, he comes off here as completely uninformed about virtually every subject in which he is interviewed. I'm not sure why he'd agree to an interview if he wasn't going to do _some_ preparation. Just look at this trainwreck: > When I remark that President Obama had eight years without any ethical shadiness, Mr. Thiel flips it, noting: “But there’s a point where no corruption can be a bad thing. It can mean that thi…

No ethical shadiness? Domestic spying, civilian casualties through the drone program, IRS interference in an election against political opponents...

Oh, I wasn't aware that I was implying that the current administration is without problems. I'm just really surprised at Thiel's answers in this interview.

Re: undefined

#28

Post by KanyeBest »

onewaystreet wrote: post #14
shaldengeki wrote: post #5

To me, he comes off here as completely uninformed about virtually every subject in which he is interviewed. I'm not sure why he'd agree to an interview if he wasn't going to do _some_ preparation. Just look at this trainwreck: > When I remark that President Obama had eight years without any ethical shadiness, Mr. Thiel flips it, noting: “But there’s a point where no corruption can be a bad thing. It can mean that thi…

Both those quotes are opinions. You disagreeing with them doesn't make them uninformed.

Not to mention that most of the quotes are clearly taken out of context. Making any kind of judgment based on them is a shot in the dark.

Re: undefined

#29

Post by shaldengeki »

KanyeBest wrote: post #28
onewaystreet wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Both those quotes are opinions. You disagreeing with them doesn't make them uninformed.

Not to mention that most of the quotes are clearly taken out of context. Making any kind of judgment based on them is a shot in the dark.

Can you explain which quotes are taken out of context, and in what context they are best interpreted? I'd love to understand.

Re: undefined

#30

Post by kevinburke »

huac wrote: post #4

When I remark that President Obama had eight years without any ethical shadiness, Mr. Thiel flips it, noting: “But there’s a point where no corruption can be a bad thing. It can mean that things are too boring.” I gasped when I read this

Thiel is a part-time YC partner. Does Y Combinator believe that its low current levels of corruption are a bad thing? Would YC be better if there was more corruption? Is Thiel open to corruption in his role as a YC partner?
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