Live data from Hacker News

Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

thenational.scot

31–40 of 87 posts

Re: Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

#31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder what opinions and values you hold which someone could make a convincing argument for cutting you off about. Or who would find your job offensive.

Worrying about what other people think is the biggest waste of energy. I'm glad a lot of people wouldn't be friends with me because of some of my ideals. I don't want to be liked by everyone. Why would you?

Because society functions a lot better when it has people in it who like each other.

Re: Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

#32
post #9

A friend of mine recently got headhunted by a "defense" company called, and I won't even post the link, it's a website which sounds a bit like Van Helsing with some AI thrown in as a twist. He got an offer of 50k EUR more than his current already ridiculous salary. I had to say that it's up to you, but don't expect me to still be your friend and still talk to you if you go for that. "defense"

Why? Have you seen what Russia is doing to Ukraine? What's wrong with a European company working on not letting the same (or worse) repeat in the Baltic states or Poland?

Because weapons will be used and you will have no control over how. And it being a European company doesn’t mean this weapon won’t be sold to Israel eg

Re: Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

#33
post #21
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How many steps removed do you draw the line? Obviously, it's one thing to be a commander ordering an attack, vs a soldier firing the weapon, vs starting the company to make the weapon, vs being a supplier to the weapons company, vs being an employee at the manufacturer, etc. What about working for a president who is going to inevitably order hundreds if not thousands murdered? Or voting for said president? What about…

Working on "killy" stuff is bad. That's my whole point. I is l stupid and counterproductive to what we as humanity are supposed to be doing.

Do you like abortion?

Re: Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

#34
post #9

A friend of mine recently got headhunted by a "defense" company called, and I won't even post the link, it's a website which sounds a bit like Van Helsing with some AI thrown in as a twist. He got an offer of 50k EUR more than his current already ridiculous salary. I had to say that it's up to you, but don't expect me to still be your friend and still talk to you if you go for that. "defense"

Shows the value of your friendship.

Re: Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

#35
post #21
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How many steps removed do you draw the line? Obviously, it's one thing to be a commander ordering an attack, vs a soldier firing the weapon, vs starting the company to make the weapon, vs being a supplier to the weapons company, vs being an employee at the manufacturer, etc. What about working for a president who is going to inevitably order hundreds if not thousands murdered? Or voting for said president? What about…

Working on "killy" stuff is bad. That's my whole point. I is l stupid and counterproductive to what we as humanity are supposed to be doing.

You realize what happens if we dont have killy stuff right? We get killed.

Re: Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

#36
post #33
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Working on "killy" stuff is bad. That's my whole point. I is l stupid and counterproductive to what we as humanity are supposed to be doing.

Do you like abortion?

This is insane and irrelevant. A whole other discussion which does not belong in the the same light as, let's call it "coding and engineering practices designed to kill people" under the guise of "defending democracies" as if there are any such democracies currently under threat.

Re: Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

#37
post #34
post #9

A friend of mine recently got headhunted by a "defense" company called, and I won't even post the link, it's a website which sounds a bit like Van Helsing with some AI thrown in as a twist. He got an offer of 50k EUR more than his current already ridiculous salary. I had to say that it's up to you, but don't expect me to still be your friend and still talk to you if you go for that. "defense"

Shows the value of your friendship.

It does. And he didn't go for it as tempted as he was. Because he knew I was right.

Re: Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

#38
post #33
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Working on "killy" stuff is bad. That's my whole point. I is l stupid and counterproductive to what we as humanity are supposed to be doing.

Do you like abortion?

What interesting discussion could the answer to this question yield? People who view abortion as “killy” will possibly take GPs stance toward their family and peers. People who don’t won’t.

And anyways, nobody _likes_ abortion, even if they are committed to it being a woman’s right

Re: Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

#39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder what opinions and values you hold which someone could make a convincing argument for cutting you off about. Or who would find your job offensive.

Worrying about what other people think is the biggest waste of energy. I'm glad a lot of people wouldn't be friends with me because of some of my ideals. I don't want to be liked by everyone. Why would you?

> I don't want to be liked by everyone. Why would you?

Eh, this is a bit of a straw man, no? It's one thing to be liked by everyone. It's another for a (presumably) long time, close friend to say they can no longer respect you due to your decisions.

In this case, it's someone who is already making a lot of money, who could make even more by working for a company that builds AI killing machines. Telling that person they are making a serious mistake is doing them a favor. Wouldn't you want your friends to do the same for you?

Re: Palantir has hired more than 30 senior UK Government officials

#40

This is outrageous. We need to hold the line — nobody who has held a job with the UK Government ever deserves to be employed by the private sector. Once you're in the government, you've made your choice, you live or die in the public sector. No more begging the private sector for mercy later.

This way we will get even better and more qualified people into government than now!
Post reply on HN