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I think the worst part of Silicon Valley is this idea that everything is a technical problem. Traffic issue? Let's not solve the political problems to make pub

I think the worst part of Silicon Valley is this idea that everything is a technical problem. Traffic issue? Let's not solve the political problems to make public infrastructure, uber, self driving cars, (even tunnels underground) will save the day! Education? we need iPads in schools delivering "personalized" education. Every issue across the board is like this. Its all B.S. and somehow they have convinced "educated" people that their vision is only correct one. They have co-opted the imagination of elite Americans and that is their biggest crime.

Nasrudith 7y ago
Elite Americans have an imagination as a whole? I thought they were essentially self-advancement at all costs in their sphere of society as a result of the tautology of self-perpetuation. Those who work to self advance will be more likely to stay at the top compared to those who prioritize other things. It may be a shallow and an unhealthy 'top' like abusing steroids to win races or unsustainable business models but it does keep them at the top. That is one of the known dark-sides of power or elites in absolutely any form. Down to the tribal elders who insist upon keeping to 'traditional ways' not out of a fear of side effects of the new but because it would undermine their power and control. Now Silicon Valley certainly does have its sins but lets not make them a scapegoat for long preexisting conditions. That approach just gives a short-lived catharsis while failing to address the fundamental problems. Viewing everything as a technical problem isn't even technically wrong - although in practice a given approach may be doomed to failure. It is the execution which is the issue really and that is in no way unique to them, nor is trying to choose the wrong tool for the job leading to a foregone failure.
spaced-out 7y ago
>Traffic issue? Let's not solve the political problems to make public infrastructure, uber, self driving cars, (even tunnels underground) will save the day! If you follow the politics of the Bay Area, you would know that tech companies do lobby for infrastructure and housing improvements, and are even willing to put up their own money to fund it. These proposals are generally DOA because the most powerful voting block, property owners, will aggressively oppose anything that may threaten the appreciation of their "investment".
- ethanbond 7y ago
  It’s time for Georgism. We’re all victims, even the corporations and the mega-rich. Capitalists and socialists alike ought to be able to get behind it at least as a vast improvement over the status quo.
  - chongli 7y ago
    I love the idea of a land value tax, but it has about as much chance of being approved by the landed gentry (let’s call them what they really are) as any of the other measures that threaten their “investment.”
    - aeternum 7y ago
      I also like the idea and there should be a way to phase it in slowly so that it does not tank property values. Referendums that increase property taxes do get passed regularly. A big issue with LVT is that it seems it can easily result in displacement of residents. Long-time homeowners, especially those on fixed income may not be able to keep up with the increasing tax and will be forced to sell.
malvosenior 7y ago
To be fair though Uber did sort of save the day. Transportation is nothing like it was 15 years ago. Drinking and driving is down, I can actually get a ride with a GPS enabled app, I don't have to fight taxi drivers to pay with a card every trip... I imagine self-driving cars will alter society for the better even more. iPads in schools may be a good example of what you're talking about but Uber and self-driving cars actually did (or will) enact significant societal change for the better.
- rjkennedy98 7y ago
  What I was talking about the promises Uber made about traffic and car ownership and the future of transportation. It didn't it literally did the opposite of everything promised. It made traffic in cities worse: https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/6/20756945/uber-lyft-tnc-vmt-traffic-congestion-study-fehr-peers https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/6/20756945/uber-lyft-tnc-vmt... It made car ownership in cities even greater: https://www.citylab.com/perspective/2019/01/uber-lyft-make-traffic-worse-more-people-own-cars-transit/579481/ https://www.citylab.com/perspective/2019/01/uber-lyft-make-t...
  - aeternum 7y ago
    The first article you cite does not show that Uber and Lyft made traffic worse. The study simply states that they account for 14% of traffic. Fewer personal cars, less cruising for parking, and ability to reliably use Uber/Lyft for the last mile in conjunction with public transit could easily make traffic better overall. The second link is also not as clear as you make it seem. The growth in car-free and car-light households is exceeding the growth of the general population. Those cities are notable as they were the first to get Uber/Lyft.
buboard 7y ago
the elites seem to be throwing money at anything they are told will make them more money, i dont think they can claim a higher moral ground. and to be fair, software is still the most impactful tool, for any sector. It's unfortunate that the major companies make money from a trivial sector (ads), because that leaves little incentive to work on harder problems.

Nasrudith 7y ago

Elite Americans have an imagination as a whole? I thought they were essentially self-advancement at all costs in their sphere of society as a result of the tautology of self-perpetuation. Those who work to self advance will be more likely to stay at the top compared to those who prioritize other things. It may be a shallow and an unhealthy 'top' like abusing steroids to win races or unsustainable business models but it does keep them at the top. That is one of the known dark-sides of power or elites in absolutely any form. Down to the tribal elders who insist upon keeping to 'traditional ways' not out of a fear of side effects of the new but because it would undermine their power and control. Now Silicon Valley certainly does have its sins but lets not make them a scapegoat for long preexisting conditions. That approach just gives a short-lived catharsis while failing to address the fundamental problems. Viewing everything as a technical problem isn't even technically wrong - although in practice a given approach may be doomed to failure. It is the execution which is the issue really and that is in no way unique to them, nor is trying to choose the wrong tool for the job leading to a foregone failure.

spaced-out 7y ago

>Traffic issue? Let's not solve the political problems to make public infrastructure, uber, self driving cars, (even tunnels underground) will save the day! If you follow the politics of the Bay Area, you would know that tech companies do lobby for infrastructure and housing improvements, and are even willing to put up their own money to fund it. These proposals are generally DOA because the most powerful voting block, property owners, will aggressively oppose anything that may threaten the appreciation of their "investment".

ethanbond 7y ago
It’s time for Georgism. We’re all victims, even the corporations and the mega-rich. Capitalists and socialists alike ought to be able to get behind it at least as a vast improvement over the status quo.
- chongli 7y ago
  I love the idea of a land value tax, but it has about as much chance of being approved by the landed gentry (let’s call them what they really are) as any of the other measures that threaten their “investment.”
  - aeternum 7y ago
    I also like the idea and there should be a way to phase it in slowly so that it does not tank property values. Referendums that increase property taxes do get passed regularly. A big issue with LVT is that it seems it can easily result in displacement of residents. Long-time homeowners, especially those on fixed income may not be able to keep up with the increasing tax and will be forced to sell.

malvosenior 7y ago

To be fair though Uber did sort of save the day. Transportation is nothing like it was 15 years ago. Drinking and driving is down, I can actually get a ride with a GPS enabled app, I don't have to fight taxi drivers to pay with a card every trip... I imagine self-driving cars will alter society for the better even more. iPads in schools may be a good example of what you're talking about but Uber and self-driving cars actually did (or will) enact significant societal change for the better.

rjkennedy98 7y ago
What I was talking about the promises Uber made about traffic and car ownership and the future of transportation. It didn't it literally did the opposite of everything promised. It made traffic in cities worse: https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/6/20756945/uber-lyft-tnc-vmt-traffic-congestion-study-fehr-peers https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/6/20756945/uber-lyft-tnc-vmt... It made car ownership in cities even greater: https://www.citylab.com/perspective/2019/01/uber-lyft-make-traffic-worse-more-people-own-cars-transit/579481/ https://www.citylab.com/perspective/2019/01/uber-lyft-make-t...
- aeternum 7y ago
  The first article you cite does not show that Uber and Lyft made traffic worse. The study simply states that they account for 14% of traffic. Fewer personal cars, less cruising for parking, and ability to reliably use Uber/Lyft for the last mile in conjunction with public transit could easily make traffic better overall. The second link is also not as clear as you make it seem. The growth in car-free and car-light households is exceeding the growth of the general population. Those cities are notable as they were the first to get Uber/Lyft.

buboard 7y ago

the elites seem to be throwing money at anything they are told will make them more money, i dont think they can claim a higher moral ground. and to be fair, software is still the most impactful tool, for any sector. It's unfortunate that the major companies make money from a trivial sector (ads), because that leaves little incentive to work on harder problems.