Earlier quoted context omitted.
Disagreeing with communism seems like a reasonable position to me.
As far as i know there is no threat of communism formin in US. Unlike fascism
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I Don't Think I Can Stay in Tech
71–80 of 94 posts
Re: I Don't Think I Can Stay in Tech
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
Fascism is Capitalism's immune response. Under stress, whether real or imagined, the rich and thus powerful begin dismantling the very systems that made them that way, gambling that their existing positions of influence will ensure their own survival (whether economic or literal).
They certainly dismantle systems of support, but the "system that made them that way" is more often than not simply inheriting wealth and power.
Capitalism only functions when you have people willing and able to buy your stuff, a state that protects fair dealings, and maintains a peaceful public order. It a luxury maintained by having a safe, stable society. Imagine trying to run a business in a world where the workers can just decide to cut you out of your investments, and then you have to hire PMCs to retake your factory, but then the PMCs renege on your contract and decide to run the business themselves. A society where you need to build your own roads, spread your own pro-business propaganda, and lack any recourse when your suppliers decide to take your money and run.
Re: I Don't Think I Can Stay in Tech
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why is this strawman such a common trope among certain walks of life? I have yet to encounter someone who actually considers everything they disagree with to be fascist.
I don't consider it a strawman. Do you understand what hyperbole is? When people say "everyone is X"... they very rarely actually mean the literal definition of everyone. Words are not always used in a rigid black-and-white manner according to their definition... understanding and being able to deal with this, without getting angry or trying to "correct" people, is what makes for good social etiquette IMO.
Ok, then let's strip your original comment of its hyperbole:
> Why does "some of the things I disagree with are fascists" seem to be a common trope among certain walks of life?
Seems pretty reasonable to me. Now, to make an actual argument: do you contest that a lot of leaders in tech are ideologically fascists or do you contest that this is an issue?
Re: I Don't Think I Can Stay in Tech
#74I grew up believing that capitalism somehow separates business from government, with each operating independently. Same with separation of church and state. Not sure what to think of things now.
I think the problem, if we're talking about the US at least, is that the conservatives running things believe a government should be small... which inevitably leads to corporations virtually running parts of the government, unless you come up with a way to explicitly prevent that. But the people in power who want to remain in power would never go along with that.
Conservatives don't actually believe in "small governments": that's just another posture they take, like "states rights" or "protect the kids". Deficit increases much faster under Republicans, and Trump is no exception. They're funnelling money to government contractors through a bloated military whose sole purpose is spending tax payer dollars on expensive and useless toys, that can't even win a war against a theocracy that's been under sanctions for half a century.
That's how billionaires became so much richer under Trump, while the rest of the country goes to shit. And that's a common symptom of fascism: a merging of the State's and corporate interests.
Re: I Don't Think I Can Stay in Tech
#75The question is, where are you going to go? Finance? Farming, Logistics? Writing/Literature/Philosophy? Big Pharma? All those people are funneling funds to people you find utterly objectionable. You'll find that every career/industry is probably proportionally representative of people who share your values as those who don't. Tech is is only so visible to you because you are so immersed in it. Care less about "Tech"…
I'm slowly making my way out of tech and going into food preparation for the poor. I previously thought working at one of these companies to extract as much money from them as possible so that I could provide as many meals to the poor as possible using that money was the best thing to do. I'm less sure about that today.
I'm sure that some of the people I work with at food banks are homophobic because they hold a particularly conservative version of their faith. I'm also sure that they aren't directly working with the government to cause material harm to marginalized people, which I cannot say about my current employer.
Re: I Don't Think I Can Stay in Tech
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
Fascism is Capitalism's immune response. Under stress, whether real or imagined, the rich and thus powerful begin dismantling the very systems that made them that way, gambling that their existing positions of influence will ensure their own survival (whether economic or literal).
They certainly dismantle systems of support, but the "system that made them that way" is more often than not simply inheriting wealth and power.
That's capitalism: owning capital attracts more capital, until eventually an all-powerful oligarchical class emerges that is then emboldened to dismantle the liberal democracy that built them, in order to secure their position at the top.
Hitler was sponsored by the industrialists of its nation. So was Mussolini. So is Putin. So is Trump.
"Capitalism is incompatible with democracy" is the one lesson I hope people finally learn by the end of this century.
Re: I Don't Think I Can Stay in Tech
#77The question is, where are you going to go? Finance? Farming, Logistics? Writing/Literature/Philosophy? Big Pharma? All those people are funneling funds to people you find utterly objectionable. You'll find that every career/industry is probably proportionally representative of people who share your values as those who don't. Tech is is only so visible to you because you are so immersed in it. Care less about "Tech"…
I'm slowly making my way out of tech and going into food preparation for the poor. I previously thought working at one of these companies to extract as much money from them as possible so that I could provide as many meals to the poor as possible using that money was the best thing to do. I'm less sure about that today. I'm sure that some of the people I work with at food banks are homophobic because they hold a part…
You can disagree with someone while still treating them the best they can. A Doctor shouldn't leave a patient mid-surgery simply because he found out he's an Anti-Vaxxer or votes a certain way.
Similarly I have no doubt the Food Banks have people who hold such views. But it doesn't matter if they are still willing to give food even to homeless, possibly even homeless people who are homosexual (statistically homosexual people are more likely to be in poverty or homeless).
It's still a net positive action if they are giving food to those they deem as against their beliefs. Praying for your "enemies", both real or imagined, is a tenet for Christianity.
Re: I Don't Think I Can Stay in Tech
#78This isn't really a tech article, except insofar as a tech worker seems to be involved.
Taking a political litmus test to people is about divisive politics, not technology.
I'd flag this if my low karma account would let me.
Re: I Don't Think I Can Stay in Tech
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
For the record I am with you and OP in the sense that I personally would struggle with such proximity. But the reality is that even if you do what I did and give up quite a bit of salary in exchange for something so mundane as the same work in a public university-run health system, you can still often follow the money to some ugly places that are not as far away as you'd like. Regarding startups, the ones like yours…
The world separates cleanly into those of us who could never knowingly and freely take any money from any fascist and those who would point out the generous meal plan bestowed upon the camp guards. "Quite a bit of salary" like
I have never been in the situation of knowingly taking salary from any fascist and would never tolerate it. I've left jobs I needed over this. My "walking away" was more about wanting to work on stuff in my day job that felt somewhat more worthwhile and tangibly useful to humanity
Re: I Don't Think I Can Stay in Tech
#80I felt this article, minus the conclusion, perhaps. There is something profoundly rotten going on. Used to be that you had to keep the quiet part to yourself. Now you can espouse white supremacy and enjoy broad social capital. Everyone at the top appears to have agreed that, yeah, fascism-lite is actually kind of convenient from a capitalist perspective, and they’re enabling anyone who helps spread that ethos. Meanwhile half of our industry is at best apathetic.
‘You can use Omarchy without caring about DHH’s politics,’ explained one of my colleagues. And he’s kind of right. Death of the author – that sort of thing. But using it also lends credibility to the maker, who can point at their project’s popularity as an indirect sign of vindication of their ideology. Hence, as I see it, the only morally right choice is not to use it.
Regarding the conclusion, I wouldn’t leave. I see it as my duty to push back, even if the effect is woefully modest. We need to start reminding each other again that, no, this isn’t okay. In the office and online.