4 ms·
> The most baffling part of all of this is that he has never attempted to escape. SBF is either a criminal genius, or so self-deluded he might be borderline ps
by lordfrito 4y ago
> The most baffling part of all of this is that he has never attempted to escape.
SBF is either a criminal genius, or so self-deluded he might be borderline psychotic.
A criminal genius, knowing what they're doing is a crime, would have an exit strategy.
The fact there wasn't an exit strategy tells me that SBF really believed in what he was doing. That he really was the genius everyone has been telling him he was. So the conclusion I'm drawing is this just self-delusion on a grand scale.
I mean, there's really no other explanation for him running his mouth against his lawyers advice, talking about how everyone doesn't understand this will all work out he was about to close another $8B etc. He really believes he's the smartest guy in the room. If only we regular folk could understand him. He's not living in reality.
Usually the worst guys like this do is con their friends/family out of a $100k to start some wild ass venture that "can't go wrong". This guy talked his way into how many billions? I suppose the difference is attributable to how well connected he was.
If so, what a damning indictment on the rich, well connected, cultural elite in and around SBFs world. The right has been pointing out for a while that the cultural elite seem disconnected from reality. We'll, here's some hard evidence that supposition may in fact be correct. Call it an "elite" bubble, where they're so disconnected from reality that whatever they seem to believe works out, so they must all be geniuses. The people setting cultural policy in this country are untethered from any sort of day-to-day reality.
I mean, SBFs mother wrote that piece about not assigning blame when things go wrong. [1] Parents with this kind of thinking raise deluded kids like SBF. And his well connectedness got him the $Bs needed to create this disaster.
If my hypothesis is correct, then this guy is heading towards a huge mental breakdown. He's never been challenged by reality, and frankly won't know what to do with himself once the prosecution gets running and the blows start landing fast and furious. It was only two days ago the judge told him to stop accessing Alameda funds, at which point SBF became "animated". [2] This rich kid is in for a collosal wake up call.
[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-bankman-frieds-mom-wrote-essay-questioning-blame-problems-2022-11 https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-bankman-frieds-mom-wrote...
[2] https://twitter.com/molcranenewman/status/1610363438748020736 https://twitter.com/molcranenewman/status/161036343874802073...
edit: edited to point out this is an indictment of the trusted people in and around SBFs world, not "wokes" or "elites" in general.
- rib3ye 4y agoDon't you think it could be as simple as he's just a gambling addict with an ivy league Rolodex who just fell into this moment in cryto-gambling history?
- lordfrito 4y agoYes I do think that's exactly what this is. I also think the system all around him his whole life let his unhealthy behavior go unchecked. This kid needed some tough love. Instead his mom pens essays writing how "the philosophy of personal responsibility has ruined criminal justice and economic policy". [1] Yeah, when your parents say personal responsibility has no place in economics or justice, of course you're going to double down on line-go-up. He's been patted on the back his whole life. Now real average Joe's are out a LOT of collective money. Real people being hurt here. This would never have happened at this scale had any sane adults been in the room. This is an indictment about the kind of people in the world that SBF spent his life living in. [1] https://www.bostonreview.net/forum/barbara-fried-beyond-blame-moral-responsibility-philosophy-law/ https://www.bostonreview.net/forum/barbara-fried-beyond-blam...
- archagon 4y agoDid you actually bother to read the article? Or is this just another knee-jerk reaction to a headline?
- sbarre 4y ago> If so, what a damning indictment on the rich, well connected, "woke" cultural elite running this country. The right has been pointing out for a while that the cultural elite seem disconnected from reality. We'll, here's some hard evidence that supposition may in fact be correct. Call it an "elite" bubble, where they're so disconnected from reality that whatever they seem to believe works out, so they must all be geniuses. The people setting cultural policy in this country are untethered from any sort of day-to-day reality. Why does this have to be a left/right thing for you? There are grifters in all parts of society, and in all cultural groups. And there's no connection between wealth and intelligence, so there will always be a never-ending line of people with money who will fall prey to said grifters. Political allegiance and cultural beliefs have nothing to do with it.