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Re: undefined

#71

Post by ianai »

codingdave wrote: post #26

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 scena…

That's exactly what I got, too. I feel for who ever interviewed him. They clearly got sold a bill of goods and nothing else.

Re: undefined

#72

Post by ianai »

huac wrote: post #61
Gargoyle wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally I think it's a realistic statement. A recognition that a least a low level of corruption is part and parcel of Things Happening. Think about the California High Speed Rail project. It's not going to happen without some low grade corruption involved. Good Ol Boys giving other Good Ol Boys the inside track on certain opportunities. That's just something that happens in the real world. If it's not happening,…

I mean, no, it's called a competitive bidding process.

I fear this as the new, Trump reality. For at least 4 years we're going to hear horrendous crimes talked down and rhetorically diminished to zero.

Re: undefined

#73

Post by obstinate »

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.

Opinions can be wrong. These are statements that cannot be wrong, but that's because they are expressions of preference.

Odd preferences, though, to be sure. The preference for some corruption over none, especially, strikes me as one that most do not share.

Re: undefined

#74

Post by intended »

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…

The second point translates as

- if trump believes X, and you believe X is wrong, how would you change that.

One of the ways is by being in the inner circle.

The issue this misses is that influence is held By many people, and it's not mutually exclusive. To exert influence on trump, you too will end up being influence and modifying your own stances so that it's possible you can apply force.

But if your position is to extreme (too far out on an axis) in the end the influence you can exert reduces to naught.

For a live example : There's some Chap who has invested large amount of money to explain to republicans what climate change/pollution mean. His position has now Morphed to supporting clean coal, in order to adapt to the environment he is in.

Re: undefined

#75

Post by obstinate »

tominous wrote: post #57
shaldengeki wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah, yeah -- I debated putting these two paragraphs into the quote, but figured my post was getting a bit long in the tooth :) How does this mindset influence your interpretation of his statement that a nonzero amount of corruption is good because otherwise things are "too boring"? To me, the preceding paragraphs seem to only confuse his intent -- it makes it sound like he could either be not taking the conversation s…

I can't read Thiel's mind, but his point reminded me of Mancur Olson's description of roving bandits vs stationary bandits [1]. a "roving bandit" only has the incentive to steal and destroy, whilst a "stationary bandit"—a tyrant—has an incentive to encourage some degree of economic success The same point could be made for having no interest vs having a conflict of interest. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancur_Ol…

This is a stretch. The more likely explanation is that either he misspoke or has very strange priorities. Peter Thiel is someone who has done some pretty impressive stuff. But all his recent moves in politics have been pretty zany. After enough zany behaviors, it might be time to start wondering whether the impressive stuff was the fluke, or whether his skill in that pursuit doesn't translate to other domains.

Re: undefined

#76

Post by ryandamm »

Once again, I'm left wondering where (beyond his Facebook investment) Thiel's reputation comes from. This interview is Kabuki intellectualism, at best: grossly exaggerated positions meant to make some larger point ("Peter Thiel is smart?"), but not remotely realistic, or even relevant.

The world is a complex place, and listening uncritically to people who sound smart is a very dangerous impulse. When in doubt, check your priors, and anchor on something objective.

Re: undefined

#77

Post by HaveCourage »

Peter Thiel finds its easier to be a contrarian because the masses are so wildly wrong about so many things.

Like the value of a college education: His scholarship fund accelerates kids lives into what they're passionate about instead of seeing them waste years in college.

Medical research: He funds longevity

Governments themselves: Seasteading

Competition: Promoting that people being definitive in their goals and working on things no one else is.

Crushing bastards: like the evil rag gawker hiding behind genuine journalistic protections.

If you're on the wrong side of an issue from Peter Thiel, it's not because he's being reflexively contrarian, it's because he could write a 100 page thoughtful essay on why his position is better than any alternative.

The reason that Peter Thiel seems so contrarian is because so many other people are so cowardly. Shouldn't more billionaires be crushing bastards? Shouldn't more billionaires be funding medical research? Shouldn't more billionaires be publishing books to motivate the masses to create themselves the future that has been only dreamed of for the last few decades?

On the short list of people in this world who are doing a really really great job with what they have, Peter Thiel is at the top of my list.

Now the caveats. Violations of the 4th amendment suck, and if Palantir is part of them, it's not great. Trump is clearly not the best the business world had to offer. Christianity, not so fabulous.

Peter Thiel is a gay christian republican billionaire philanthropist genius.

Re: undefined

#78

Post by ryandamm »

HaveCourage wrote: post #77

Peter Thiel finds its easier to be a contrarian because the masses are so wildly wrong about so many things. Like the value of a college education: His scholarship fund accelerates kids lives into what they're passionate about instead of seeing them waste years in college. Medical research: He funds longevity Governments themselves: Seasteading Competition: Promoting that people being definitive in their goals and wo…

Is this a (nearly) double post from a (nearly) single-purpose account?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13380273

Your effusive language undermines your credibility, for the record. Then again, I don't think I'm your audience.

Re: undefined

#79

Post by HaveCourage »

ryandamm wrote: post #78
HaveCourage wrote: post #77

Peter Thiel finds its easier to be a contrarian because the masses are so wildly wrong about so many things. Like the value of a college education: His scholarship fund accelerates kids lives into what they're passionate about instead of seeing them waste years in college. Medical research: He funds longevity Governments themselves: Seasteading Competition: Promoting that people being definitive in their goals and wo…

Is this a (nearly) double post from a (nearly) single-purpose account? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13380273 Your effusive language undermines your credibility, for the record. Then again, I don't think I'm your audience.

I'm happy to talk about substantive issues. We can chat, discord, livestream, move over to reddit, I love speaking about cool ideas.

Re: undefined

#80

Post by ryandamm »

HaveCourage wrote: post #79
ryandamm wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this a (nearly) double post from a (nearly) single-purpose account? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13380273 Your effusive language undermines your credibility, for the record. Then again, I don't think I'm your audience.

I'm happy to talk about substantive issues. We can chat, discord, livestream, move over to reddit, I love speaking about cool ideas.

I don't see much of substance to discuss, as I mentioned in reply to your first, similar post.

I think Thiel has bad politics, uninteresting investment theses, and a knack for bad macro- timing. I've devoted too much time to him this evening already. So I don't think you and I have much common ground to discuss, regardless of forum.

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