Live data from Hacker News

Tech CEOs Take Turns Praising Trump at White House Dinner

wsj.com

51–60 of 61 posts

Re: Tech CEOs Take Turns Praising Trump at White House Dinner

#51
post #41
post #20

It's hard for me not to believe every tech leader in this room is thinking, "This guy is a total idiot. I can't believe I have to sit here and kiss his ass. What a total waste of my time. But a CEO has to do what a CEO has to do...how can I take advantage of this mess."

That would be the case if CEO do not routinely waste innumerable hours on so many meetings, lunches, events etc with so many idiots filling the room. But may be "No punching down" theory demand to not call those people idiots.

Fair. And yes, CEOs certainly find their schedules full of what you mentioned.

Re: Tech CEOs Take Turns Praising Trump at White House Dinner

#52

Has anybody seen any funny allhands questions of these CEOs?

The current South Park season, episode 3 has a funny bit of this.

I stopped watching it a decade or more ago after becoming a bit repetitive and thought it went away like all the other things. Then the twitter spat with the WH made news and discovered it again.

This administration made it worth watching again for the funnies

Re: Tech CEOs Take Turns Praising Trump at White House Dinner

#54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is devastating enough on its own. But what makes it even more troubling is that the United States has a president who demands such transparently false praise. What's going on in this man's head? Does he not understand that these people are lying to him because they are afraid of what he will do to their companies? Or does he know, and that is the point? What in the world is wrong with this man?

This is what kissing the ring looks like. It's a loyalty test. In Soviet Union it was a sign of loyalty not to question obviously false statistics and news. In Joe Rogan's circles is laughing at his shit jokes and praising his comic abilities in his podcast.

I think people are laughing at atrocious jokes forever just to be on right side of political climate at that time.

Re: Tech CEOs Take Turns Praising Trump at White House Dinner

#55
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At this point, it is really important for everyone in the industry to recognize that the industry leaders (in terms of "running the most successful companies") should not be considered ethical or moral leaders. It's a categorical error. Like expecting a boat captain to be Descartes because they're good at leading people to operate a boat (or, for that matter, expecting Descartes to take first in a marathon because he…

They may not be moral leaders, but I expect them to be leaders who are moral. Well, I don’t expect that they will be, but that’s my standard.

Yup, standards are the best thing applied to others.

Re: Tech CEOs Take Turns Praising Trump at White House Dinner

#58
post #9

These news depressed me. Am I the only one who is saddened by this pathetic show by our industry leaders? Made me pessimistic about the future.

Business has always been this way. It’s the nature of power. It just so happens when you have a fragile ego in power, people seeking power will naturally play to that ego for a leg up. We knew before 2015 that he was easy to manipulate. Easy to push his buttons, easy to flatter. Frankly if you are a CEO in 2015 and you aren’t flattering this idiot to profit then you are violating your duties to your shareholders

> if you are a CEO in 2015 and you aren’t flattering this idiot to profit then you are violating your duties to your shareholders

Ah yes, because that's the only thing that matters. Nihilistic capitalism at its finest – there no morality beyond economics. Everything that makes economic sense is moral because it makes economic sense. Whether it actually does is rather dubious by the way, as all of this has the very real possibility of massively damage these businesses in the medium to long term – so also nihilistic short-termism at its finest.

Re: Tech CEOs Take Turns Praising Trump at White House Dinner

#59
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Business has always been this way. It’s the nature of power. It just so happens when you have a fragile ego in power, people seeking power will naturally play to that ego for a leg up. We knew before 2015 that he was easy to manipulate. Easy to push his buttons, easy to flatter. Frankly if you are a CEO in 2015 and you aren’t flattering this idiot to profit then you are violating your duties to your shareholders

Indeed. It is a calibrated, lawyer-defined behavior called executing their fiduciary duties. In other words, they are behaving as necessary (and as advised) to avoid later being exposed to a lawsuit.

"I avoided a possible lawsuit, and all I had to do was help plunge my country in to fascism!"

Re: Tech CEOs Take Turns Praising Trump at White House Dinner

#60
post #20

It's hard for me not to believe every tech leader in this room is thinking, "This guy is a total idiot. I can't believe I have to sit here and kiss his ass. What a total waste of my time. But a CEO has to do what a CEO has to do...how can I take advantage of this mess."

[dead]
Post reply on HN