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Andreessen Horowitz is investing billions into a bleak future

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Re: Andreessen Horowitz is investing billions into a bleak future

#81

Post by pulkitsh1234 »

"A man who wishes to make a profession of goodness in everything must necessarily come to grief among so many who are not good. Therefore, it is necessary for a prince, who wishes to maintain himself, to learn how not to be good, and to use this knowledge and not use it, according to the necessity of the case" -- Niccolo Machiavelli

It's a self fulfilling prophecy... while us commoners, or so called "activists" or ethicists ponder and debate on culture, morality, law and ethics... The powerful are just living an alternate life devoid of all these moral qualms and are have clearly distanced themselves from the mundane, have distanced themselves from the guilt or any kind of accountability. In their eyes, they are just capitalising on the human tendencies which have been always existed (the seven deadly sins), so the "absolve" themselves pretty quickly by saying that they are not creating new "sins", just leveraging, or allowing the people to go along those sins.

They think, why should they be the ones to not capitalise on them, if someone else might and will. It's a coordination problem of our society. No one wants to let go. They want to hedge, they invest in ozempic and invest in fast-food at the same time, there is no moral compass guiding them. It's for us commoners to debate and think about.

Re: Andreessen Horowitz is investing billions into a bleak future

#82

Post by Yeri »

TrackerFF wrote: post #80

Sometimes when I see these comically dystopian surveillance startups, I sort of wonder what the founders were thinking when they came up with the idea? Like, were they just watching some random documentary about China, and noticed how their surveillance state works - and said to themselves "You know, that's exactly what we need here!" Or is it just purely greed? They see some potential cash crab, and come up with som…

Pure greed; and most people think it won't apply to them. It'll monitor "the others"

Re: Andreessen Horowitz is investing billions into a bleak future

#83

Post by picafrost »

The US consumer economy must grow. Regulating anything that has the potential to continue its growth is simply not a priority for the current US administration, and investors won't miss out on big tech exits as they grow more scarce. Let the gamblers gamble, let socially harmful uses of AI proliferate, let the surveillance state spread, as long as they generate revenues that do not collapse* the economy. If they produce individuals harmful to society, well, indignants can be Flocked, fined, and, if necessary, imprisoned.

Flouting the law ahead of regulators has always been a strategy in startups, only now the stakes are not "get a ride to the airport."

Re: Andreessen Horowitz is investing billions into a bleak future

#84

Post by pingou »

Valakas_ wrote: post #59

For me it's insane, how in this day and age, we don't conduct DSM-V / ICD tests (interviews) that screen for Cluster B personality disorders on everyone , and bar, at least those with anti-social PD, psychopathy, or extreme forms of narcissism, to work in positions of influence or power over others.

Why would they answer honestly on that test? It's quite obvious what the "wrong" answers would be.

Re: Andreessen Horowitz is investing billions into a bleak future

#86

Post by alex1138 »

bambax wrote: post #34

Marc Andreessen is an evil man with the behavior (and appearance!) of a Bond villain.

I have you now, Mr. Bond. But instead of quickly disposing of you, I shall spend a 20 minute monologue on How We Must Build Things while you inexorably escape

Re: Andreessen Horowitz is investing billions into a bleak future

#88

Post by edot »

moogly wrote: post #70
tedggh wrote: post #12

How come Flock is not listed? That’s the most troubling company a16z has heavily invested on and supported.

Hard to say Flock is the worst... There's a lot of competition. I'll throw Toka into the ring. https://www.techspot.com/news/113395-flock-biggest-investor-...

Wow, that's an insane pairing. For those who don't click, Toka is a software company that specializes in hacking and altering security camera footage.

Re: Andreessen Horowitz is investing billions into a bleak future

#89

Post by stephantul »

XorNot wrote: post #58
stephantul wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tragedy of the commons. The person that ruins a commons first takes all the supply. This is why regulation before, not after, the commons are plundered, is important.

Rather depends on the "spoils" capacity of the channel. The windfall may not even justify the initial expenditure before it's exhausted.

I think spoiling a commons is risky for individuals, not so much for investors. Breaking a future law is lucrative

Re: Andreessen Horowitz is investing billions into a bleak future

#90

Post by Arodex »

pibaker wrote: post #76
codemog wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lee is a product of his environment. Tech interviews are bullshit and he exposed it. School work is mostly bullshit and he exposed it. How can you honestly tell this young man not to cheat and get ahead when the president does it regularly? We’re a spiritually dead country and the youth is reflecting it. Don’t use Lee as the scapegoat.

If you see a pile of trash by the side of the road and tell yourself it is ok to dump your trash there, well, you just explained why there is a pile of trash there in the first place. You have agency over your own actions. Don't blame others for your self inflicted "spiritual death."

Millions decided to reward a liar and cheater with the highest office in the country. Twice! At one point, socially attuned people are going to go that way. And even if you try to educate your children well, they see in their formative years what society rewards.
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