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If tech geniuses with massive resources and brain power can't solve basic problems at their door step its far reach to claim to solve world problems. Of course

by throw2016 9y ago

If tech geniuses with massive resources and brain power can't solve basic problems at their door step its far reach to claim to solve world problems. Of course its posturing but a lesson for those who drink the koolaid. There is no point being wealthy if most around you are suffering and and in desperate conditions. This can't make anyone happy, except sociopaths. You have to care for other people and society beyond just your immediate interest and benefit. Unlike what Thatcher said you need a society for basic civilized life. This is where self centric individualism falls apart. Trillions of dollars are being squandered on wars and bailouts to benefit entrenched interests, all these 'individual achievers' worshiped by the neoliberal ideology. This is not how a democracy works.

ryguytilidie 9y ago
"If tech geniuses with massive resources and brain power can't solve basic problems at their door step its far reach to claim to solve world problems. Of course its posturing but a lesson for those who drink the koolaid." I get that the goal nowadays is to be a snarky jerk to everyone around you but this is just extremely bizarre. So lets say some kid from Missouri gets a job working at Pinterest. He or she work 50-60 hours a week and then try to have a life. This seems pretty normal, except to throw2016, who is angry at this supposed "genius" not solving San Francisco's homeless problem. Also this burden is only on tech people, not on anyone in finance or any other industry in SF. Got it.
rootlocus 9y ago
> If tech geniuses with massive resources and brain power can't solve basic problems at their door step its far reach to claim to solve world problems There's some talent, sure, but I wouldn't call every software developer in SF "tech genius"...
tomjen3 9y ago
There is more point to being wealthy if being poor is a likely reality: the wealthier you are, the more insulated you are as well. And you don't have to be a sociopath either - humans are pretty good at looking away (how often do you look at pictures of starving people?) Also you assume that a person who is good at solving one class of problems is also good at solving other classes of problems. This is not so. Anyway there are solutions that are not hard, but they mostly involve putting these people under guardianship and getting them of the streets, then into assisted living for those with mental issues and some for of work program for those who are just on drugs. The once whoes only issue is that they don't have place to stay need help too, but they are typically not the one you see on the street, because they are sane enough to sleep in cars, behave normally during the day, have a place to shower at a gym or similar, etc. I doubt enough housing could be constructed to help them, as it seems the more housing there is, the more people come there in search of better oppertunities - a potential solution (although diabolical) would be to raise the minimum wage enough that there aren't jobs for the people who can't afford to live there (less diabolically minded people would point out that it would make it more attractive to have a longer commute and that some of the people who are able to maintain their jobs would now be able to afford housing).

ryguytilidie 9y ago

"If tech geniuses with massive resources and brain power can't solve basic problems at their door step its far reach to claim to solve world problems. Of course its posturing but a lesson for those who drink the koolaid." I get that the goal nowadays is to be a snarky jerk to everyone around you but this is just extremely bizarre. So lets say some kid from Missouri gets a job working at Pinterest. He or she work 50-60 hours a week and then try to have a life. This seems pretty normal, except to throw2016, who is angry at this supposed "genius" not solving San Francisco's homeless problem. Also this burden is only on tech people, not on anyone in finance or any other industry in SF. Got it.

rootlocus 9y ago

> If tech geniuses with massive resources and brain power can't solve basic problems at their door step its far reach to claim to solve world problems There's some talent, sure, but I wouldn't call every software developer in SF "tech genius"...

tomjen3 9y ago

There is more point to being wealthy if being poor is a likely reality: the wealthier you are, the more insulated you are as well. And you don't have to be a sociopath either - humans are pretty good at looking away (how often do you look at pictures of starving people?) Also you assume that a person who is good at solving one class of problems is also good at solving other classes of problems. This is not so. Anyway there are solutions that are not hard, but they mostly involve putting these people under guardianship and getting them of the streets, then into assisted living for those with mental issues and some for of work program for those who are just on drugs. The once whoes only issue is that they don't have place to stay need help too, but they are typically not the one you see on the street, because they are sane enough to sleep in cars, behave normally during the day, have a place to shower at a gym or similar, etc. I doubt enough housing could be constructed to help them, as it seems the more housing there is, the more people come there in search of better oppertunities - a potential solution (although diabolical) would be to raise the minimum wage enough that there aren't jobs for the people who can't afford to live there (less diabolically minded people would point out that it would make it more attractive to have a longer commute and that some of the people who are able to maintain their jobs would now be able to afford housing).