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That's an unusual stance for someone who is a CEO of a company for "rekindling passion for public service in millions of local government employees" and is worr

That's an unusual stance for someone who is a CEO of a company for "rekindling passion for public service in millions of local government employees" and is worrisome. You wouldn't support people like these government employees to have freedom of political opinion?

tyre 10y ago
It's not about political opinion or because he supports the Republican nominee. He has a plethora of public comments revealing a shocking lack of empathy or caring about the greater good. This isn't about politics. We're specifically apolitical (https://octopoedi.gitbooks.io/employee-handbook/content/Company%20Policies/politics.html https://octopoedi.gitbooks.io/employee-handbook/content/Comp...). As I choose investors, it's very important that they are aligned with the impact we want to have on the world. Thiel is, to be generous, no where fucking close.
- potatosoup 10y ago
  That's fair and respectable. E.g. Martin Shkreli would probably not be a suitable investor for you. However: "He has a plethora of public comments revealing a shocking lack of empathy or caring about the greater good." Very much "citation needed." If anything, I've seen Thiel genuinely want to improve our world.
  - pjc50 10y ago
    Peter Thiel is on record on his own blog as describing votes for women as a bad thing. https://www.cato-unbound.org/2009/04/13/peter-thiel/education-libertarian https://www.cato-unbound.org/2009/04/13/peter-thiel/educatio...
    - deleted 10y ago
      [deleted]
    - dsp1234 10y ago
      and starting in just the second paragraph: "Most importantly, I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible."
      - saosebastiao 10y ago
        Democracy and freedom do have a tendency to be at odds with each other on occasion. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyranny_of_the_majority https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyranny_of_the_majority
      - toomuchtodo 10y ago
        This idea is nothing new. "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." -- Winston Churchill
        notfromhere 10y ago
        From his own blog: "Since 1920, the vast increase in welfare beneficiaries and the extension of the franchise to women — two constituencies that are notoriously tough for libertarians — have rendered the notion of “capitalist democracy” into an oxymoron." He's mad that women can vote because they don't vote libertarian.
        toomuchtodo 10y ago
        > He's mad that women can vote because they don't vote libertarian. I don't see the problem with this unless he's proposing a constitutional amendment to have their right to vote removed.
        notfromhere 10y ago
        It's a problem when he influences the political process with his money and holds totalitarian political beliefs.
        10y ago
- CptJamesCook 10y ago
  Peter Thiel cares a great deal about the greater good. And since you are attacking Paul Graham for not disassociating YCombinator with Thiel, why don't you put your money where your mouth is and refund the money you raised to YCombinator?

tyre 10y ago

It's not about political opinion or because he supports the Republican nominee. He has a plethora of public comments revealing a shocking lack of empathy or caring about the greater good. This isn't about politics. We're specifically apolitical (https://octopoedi.gitbooks.io/employee-handbook/content/Company%20Policies/politics.html https://octopoedi.gitbooks.io/employee-handbook/content/Comp...). As I choose investors, it's very important that they are aligned with the impact we want to have on the world. Thiel is, to be generous, no where fucking close.

potatosoup 10y ago
That's fair and respectable. E.g. Martin Shkreli would probably not be a suitable investor for you. However: "He has a plethora of public comments revealing a shocking lack of empathy or caring about the greater good." Very much "citation needed." If anything, I've seen Thiel genuinely want to improve our world.
- pjc50 10y ago
  Peter Thiel is on record on his own blog as describing votes for women as a bad thing. https://www.cato-unbound.org/2009/04/13/peter-thiel/education-libertarian https://www.cato-unbound.org/2009/04/13/peter-thiel/educatio...
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - dsp1234 10y ago
    and starting in just the second paragraph: "Most importantly, I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible."
    - saosebastiao 10y ago
      Democracy and freedom do have a tendency to be at odds with each other on occasion. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyranny_of_the_majority https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyranny_of_the_majority
    - toomuchtodo 10y ago
      This idea is nothing new. "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." -- Winston Churchill
      - notfromhere 10y ago
        From his own blog: "Since 1920, the vast increase in welfare beneficiaries and the extension of the franchise to women — two constituencies that are notoriously tough for libertarians — have rendered the notion of “capitalist democracy” into an oxymoron." He's mad that women can vote because they don't vote libertarian.
        toomuchtodo 10y ago
        > He's mad that women can vote because they don't vote libertarian. I don't see the problem with this unless he's proposing a constitutional amendment to have their right to vote removed.
        notfromhere 10y ago
        It's a problem when he influences the political process with his money and holds totalitarian political beliefs.
        10y ago
CptJamesCook 10y ago
Peter Thiel cares a great deal about the greater good. And since you are attacking Paul Graham for not disassociating YCombinator with Thiel, why don't you put your money where your mouth is and refund the money you raised to YCombinator?