Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons • Hacker News Board

Re: Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons

#71

Post by coredog64 » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 1:44 PM UTC

devishard wrote: post #53

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #37

Wait a minute. Gawker is no righteous hero here. Let's see if I understand correctly. Gawker outs Thiel (which is nobody's business, yet Gawker decided to make it people's business). Gawker at some point later posts an illegal SEX tape (again, nobody's business). Now, we're supposed to feel sorry for Gawker because Thiel wants to help out another person who was WRONGED by Gawker? Wow. Just wow.

I don't feel bad for Gawker at all. I do, however, feel concerned that a rich person like Thiel can buy litigation. That's a highly dangerous capability. He's using that power for good in this case, but I doubt he always will.

He does have to buy the right litigation though. Thiel can't just sue the NYT out of existence because he gets it into his head to do so. He'd need to find a meritorious suit.

Re: Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons

#72

Post by further_tech » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 1:44 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.

> WTF

I don't understand your indignation. Is it that obvious to you the Valley can solve ALL human problems?

Re: Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons

#73

Post by further_tech » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 1:50 PM UTC

supergirl wrote: post #11

I wonder what's the connection, if any, between the author of the article and Gawker. If he's the same guy I found on Linkedin, he seems to be working for some kind of PR company for hire; also confirmed by the article footnote. I hope nobody takes this article only for what it is but also questions why it is.

Even if so, I'd rather move beyond the Ad hominem.

Re: Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons

#74

Post by kazagistar » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 1:51 PM UTC

coredog64 wrote: post #71

devishard wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't feel bad for Gawker at all. I do, however, feel concerned that a rich person like Thiel can buy litigation. That's a highly dangerous capability. He's using that power for good in this case, but I doubt he always will.

He does have to buy the right litigation though. Thiel can't just sue the NYT out of existence because he gets it into his head to do so. He'd need to find a meritorious suit.

It's surprisingly easy to find some way that the law was broken... it's quite complex.

Re: Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons

#75

Post by whatok » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 1:52 PM UTC

frankc wrote: post #64

venomsnake wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because I am free speech absolutist which means defending speech that I don't like. There were other ways to nail gawker - copyright infringement comes to mind.

Gawker was allowed to say whatever they wanted about the sex tape. No one has ever questioned that. They were not allowed to publish it. That is what they were sued over. I'm pretty absolutionist about free speech myself, which is why it's pretty disappointing that a lot of people are missing this key point.

Exactly. The story and "news" surrounding this incident still exists without publication of the stolen video. Coverage without the video does not deliver as many clicks so they rolled the dice with that one and have so far lost.

Re: Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons

#76

Post by atonse » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 1:52 PM UTC

vintermann wrote: post #42

threatofrain wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the problem is the fact that Peter Thiel tossed money in the direction of a lawsuit. The issue is that money matters in justice, and that Peter Thiel coincidentally put his money somewhere did not make this so. People are focusing shame on Peter Thiel today but that's the wrong place. There will always be rich people.

Now, I agree with that. But it's not the argument other people are making. People are saying this is an attack on journalism, and complaining that Thiel could have bankrupted Gawker just by attrition. Yeah, he could. But that was not in fact what he did. Gawker didn't lose by attrition, they lost a particular case they damn well deserved to lose. On the other hand, Thiel says Gawker's former victims have been forced…

Yes, Gawker deserved to lose that case.

However, the Thiel involvement produced a vindictive and revenge-based strategy to try the case in such a way that Gawker couldn't use their insurance to pay the damages.

So I don't think anybody's arguing that Gawker shouldn't have lost that case. But it's clear the motive here wasn't just punishment, it was to put Gawker out of business.

And I used to hate Gawker because of all this Valleywag nonsense they did, but they have a lot of good sites today.

Re: Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons

#77

Post by atonse » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 1:54 PM UTC

mukmuk wrote: post #51

threatofrain wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the problem is the fact that Peter Thiel tossed money in the direction of a lawsuit. The issue is that money matters in justice, and that Peter Thiel coincidentally put his money somewhere did not make this so. People are focusing shame on Peter Thiel today but that's the wrong place. There will always be rich people.

I am also somewhat uncomfortable that his sponsorship was kept secret for so long, and that it easily could have stayed secret indefinitely.

It's very likely that this was an intentional leak to send a message to other media outlets that they should think twice before attacking billionaires.

Nothing to stop the Koch brothers from doing this.

Re: Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons

#78

Post by JustSomeNobody » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 1:56 PM UTC

devishard wrote: post #53

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #37

Wait a minute. Gawker is no righteous hero here. Let's see if I understand correctly. Gawker outs Thiel (which is nobody's business, yet Gawker decided to make it people's business). Gawker at some point later posts an illegal SEX tape (again, nobody's business). Now, we're supposed to feel sorry for Gawker because Thiel wants to help out another person who was WRONGED by Gawker? Wow. Just wow.

I don't feel bad for Gawker at all. I do, however, feel concerned that a rich person like Thiel can buy litigation. That's a highly dangerous capability. He's using that power for good in this case, but I doubt he always will.

So, do you also disagree when the ACLU backs a lawsuit? Or, say, when the EFF does?

Re: Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons

#79

Post by 627467 » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 1:58 PM UTC

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...

Another Gawker victim issues a Good vs Evil argument to justify disproportional attack on unwanted (by the victims) speech. Not surprising.

To me, part of the problem with some of these new Gilded billionaires is this (apparent) principle of the "Good vs Evil" argument. Google used it as company mission. It sounds... immature. It sounds irrational. It sounds like something out of comic books. Maybe Thiel thinks he's bruce wayne who needs to act in the shadows to "do good".

Re: Thiel shows why tech billionaires are the new robber barons

#80

Post by bionsuba » Thu, Jun 02, 2016, 1:59 PM UTC

further_tech wrote: post #72

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.

> WTF I don't understand your indignation. Is it that obvious to you the Valley can solve ALL human problems?

No one ever said it would.

There's a term for this (I forget it now), but what this person is doing is setting up an easy target to be torn down by creating a ridiculous opinion no one has. Then the author can be seen as the victor; it's really dishonest, and it should make everyone question the veracity of the whole article.