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> many local laws are poorly tailored to advance "society's needs". Philosophical question: what is a better approach to advancing society's needs' than govern

> many local laws are poorly tailored to advance "society's needs". Philosophical question: what is a better approach to advancing society's needs' than government and its regulations? If a given corporation, ala Friedman, best serves its owners by maximizing profit, it seems corporations are not in a position to serve any interests but their own.

damnyou 6y ago
The best way for society to move forward is active conflict between institutions, of which government is merely one.
- xg15 6y ago
  Thanks for the brutal honesty of what I can easily believe is a widespread view in the tech scene. I guess by that standard, the US under Trump is a model society.
  - damnyou 6y ago
    Trump is exactly why a great deal of power needs to be vested in non-state institutions which are comfortable defying the state. Imagine the situation if the US didn't have robust free speech laws. Trump would have clamped down on dissent and we would be much worse off.
    - xg15 6y ago
      Putting free speech above all else will also protect manipulation and propaganda. That's a good part of what gave you Trump.
      - damnyou 6y ago
        It will. But a less robust free speech tradition can give you an Orban or a Modi, who are both worse than Trump. On net I'd rather take that risk because of its greater potential to correct itself when it goes wrong.
      - meddlepal 6y ago
        All speech is manipulation in some way. It's not clear to me what "harmful speech" is supposed to mean other than that one group of people are upset another group of people are able to say something they disagree with and want to shutdown the other group's speech.
        fennecfoxen 6y ago
        This is a common canard of those who wish to regulate or manipulate with their speech. But consider alternatives such as these for your next use of speech: to convey information, to inform, to persuade, to enlighten.

damnyou 6y ago

The best way for society to move forward is active conflict between institutions, of which government is merely one.

xg15 6y ago
Thanks for the brutal honesty of what I can easily believe is a widespread view in the tech scene. I guess by that standard, the US under Trump is a model society.
- damnyou 6y ago
  Trump is exactly why a great deal of power needs to be vested in non-state institutions which are comfortable defying the state. Imagine the situation if the US didn't have robust free speech laws. Trump would have clamped down on dissent and we would be much worse off.
  - xg15 6y ago
    Putting free speech above all else will also protect manipulation and propaganda. That's a good part of what gave you Trump.
    - damnyou 6y ago
      It will. But a less robust free speech tradition can give you an Orban or a Modi, who are both worse than Trump. On net I'd rather take that risk because of its greater potential to correct itself when it goes wrong.
    - meddlepal 6y ago
      All speech is manipulation in some way. It's not clear to me what "harmful speech" is supposed to mean other than that one group of people are upset another group of people are able to say something they disagree with and want to shutdown the other group's speech.
      - fennecfoxen 6y ago
        This is a common canard of those who wish to regulate or manipulate with their speech. But consider alternatives such as these for your next use of speech: to convey information, to inform, to persuade, to enlighten.