San Francisco's guerrilla protest at Google buses swells into revolt • Hacker News Board

Re: San Francisco's guerrilla protest at Google buses swells into revolt

#71

Post by joeblau » Mon, Jan 27, 2014, 12:41 AM UTC

nirnira wrote: post #42

joeblau wrote: post #6

There is one thing that I've really come to love and respect about the city of San Francisco. They fight for what they want. I've seen protests for everything ranging from wars, to working conditions, to America's Cup worker wages. Most other places would just get rolled over by whomever has the money. Underneath this issue, there are some serious socioeconomic issues at hand that need to be addressed. One thing I've…

Nice. But if you think it's so worthwhile to help homeless people, why don't you help them full-time, instead of just dabbling? And if you're going to help them, are goodie bags really the best way, or can you think of more powerful, uplifting ways to help them improve their station in life? That's the economically rational course of action, after all - devote the maximum amount of your time to the activity you consi…

I'm not spending my full time doing that because helping homeless people isn't my life passion. My life passion is to create technology that will impact the world for a greater good. That doesn't mean that along the way I can't do things to help others out who are less fortunate than I am along the way. I don't think taking a few hours every year to help others would qualify me as a jack of all trades. I spend far more time burnt on HN, DN, and running my OSS GitHub project, than I do helping. I just feel that if everyone helped a bit, we would probably be received better.

Re: San Francisco's guerrilla protest at Google buses swells into revolt

#72

Post by nirnira » Mon, Jan 27, 2014, 2:33 AM UTC

joeblau wrote: post #71

nirnira wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nice. But if you think it's so worthwhile to help homeless people, why don't you help them full-time, instead of just dabbling? And if you're going to help them, are goodie bags really the best way, or can you think of more powerful, uplifting ways to help them improve their station in life? That's the economically rational course of action, after all - devote the maximum amount of your time to the activity you consi…

I'm not spending my full time doing that because helping homeless people isn't my life passion. My life passion is to create technology that will impact the world for a greater good. That doesn't mean that along the way I can't do things to help others out who are less fortunate than I am along the way. I don't think taking a few hours every year to help others would qualify me as a jack of all trades. I spend far mo…

I see what you're saying, and it's very reasonable - I'm not a San Franciscan so I can't comment on the tech community's engagement (or lack thereof) with SF's older cultures - including the homeless/streetkids. Perhaps there is a solution that everyone would like?

Re: San Francisco's guerrilla protest at Google buses swells into revolt

#73

Post by fallinghawks » Mon, Jan 27, 2014, 4:40 AM UTC

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #35

sokoloff wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand the analogy, but anyone outside tech that reads an argument like that, especially if they've ever BEEN to an actual prison (even as a visitor), will have an extremely hard time hearing anything else about your argument.

Here's another one. A prison is a state of mind. I find the cute circus campuses offensive and distasteful. Stuck in one day in and day out, I would crave freedom.

I assure you, you are in no danger of Google security officers pointing a gun at you and saying "You're going to work for Google now."

Re: San Francisco's guerrilla protest at Google buses swells into revolt

#74

Post by JoeAltmaier » Mon, Jan 27, 2014, 3:57 PM UTC

fallinghawks wrote: post #64

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Texas has prisons out in the dusty plains, where prisoners are not bound nor fenced. Its the distance that makes it a prison. So in this way a very remote campus IS a prison - you have no practical choice but to exist in that ecosystem.

Yeah, right, prisoners. SF is the sole oasis of civilization on the SF Peninsula, surrounded by 35 miles of desert plains that happen to be covered with offices and restaurants, a couple airports, and public transportation.

Maybe a 'wasteland' is a better term. Mile upon mile of cookie-cutter cityscape. A prison for the soul.