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The question HN should be asking: Why aren't there more technologists in politics? Why is the will-to-power so often absent in us? Personally, I think we've al

The question HN should be asking: Why aren't there more technologists in politics? Why is the will-to-power so often absent in us? Personally, I think we've all grown up assuming a safe, stable, neo-liberal capitalist environment that gives us a space to play with our toys, and indeed, strongly encourages it. This is not a position of power, but the position of a bright child.

leetcrew 5y ago
I don't think the "will-to-power" is absent at all. rather, the private sector is a better path to power for someone with technical chops, influencing through money instead of formal political authority. of course by the time you have this much money, your interests tend to diverge from the frontline engineers.
- javajosh 5y ago
  It's only a theoretical path to political power, though. There are no examples that I know of, at least in the US, of a tech entrepreneur or scientist successfully running for office. I think Woodrow Wilson was a professor, and he was a disastrous president (and notably very racist). Yes, the money can buy influence over power, but not obtain power itself. And if Citizen's United is ever legislated against (and it should be) even that influence will be limited.
vondur 5y ago
Aren't a larger number of politicians in China formerly scientists/engineers? I'm not sure if tech people do any better than others in this regard.
- javajosh 5y ago
  I've heard that, but I don't know. Other counter-examples: Angela Merkel is a scientist. But the only ones I can think of in the US are few. Andrew Yang. Zuckerberg is also rumored to have desire for political power. Carla Fiorina was CEO of HP and ran for CA governor, but I'm not sure if she was tech-wise or not.
  - vondur 5y ago
    Carly Fiorina was some sort of history or literature major I believe, and she was an ineffective CEO of HP. You are correct about Angela Merkel, she was a physical chemist, but I believe many of the energy problems that Germany is currently facing have to do with her policies.

leetcrew 5y ago

I don't think the "will-to-power" is absent at all. rather, the private sector is a better path to power for someone with technical chops, influencing through money instead of formal political authority. of course by the time you have this much money, your interests tend to diverge from the frontline engineers.

javajosh 5y ago
It's only a theoretical path to political power, though. There are no examples that I know of, at least in the US, of a tech entrepreneur or scientist successfully running for office. I think Woodrow Wilson was a professor, and he was a disastrous president (and notably very racist). Yes, the money can buy influence over power, but not obtain power itself. And if Citizen's United is ever legislated against (and it should be) even that influence will be limited.

vondur 5y ago

Aren't a larger number of politicians in China formerly scientists/engineers? I'm not sure if tech people do any better than others in this regard.

javajosh 5y ago
I've heard that, but I don't know. Other counter-examples: Angela Merkel is a scientist. But the only ones I can think of in the US are few. Andrew Yang. Zuckerberg is also rumored to have desire for political power. Carla Fiorina was CEO of HP and ran for CA governor, but I'm not sure if she was tech-wise or not.
- vondur 5y ago
  Carly Fiorina was some sort of history or literature major I believe, and she was an ineffective CEO of HP. You are correct about Angela Merkel, she was a physical chemist, but I believe many of the energy problems that Germany is currently facing have to do with her policies.