4 ms·

The tech industry hasn't produced one net positive benefit for humanity in the past 20 years.

by ynab4 4y ago

klyrs 4y ago
I was gonna say "what about arxiv or Wikipedia" but I'm unsure that nonprofits should count as "industry"
throwaway5959 4y ago
The iPhone, messaging apps, online tax preparation (I do my taxes on my _phone_), Spotify, Dropbox, drones, 3d printing, etc provide no value?
- arp242 4y ago
  "No value" is of course not the same as "net positive benefit". Takes drones for example. I've been woken by them at 7am on campsites. I've been quietly reading a book at the beach only to be disrupted by some instagram addict with a drone. Peaceful walks in the mountains have been disrupted. As far as I'm concerned, they're a net-negative. They're excessively loud, annoying, and as far as I'm concerned they're net-negative. You're other examples are more complex, but my point is mainly: "provides value" is not identical to "net positive benefit".
- ynab4 4y ago
  "The iPhone" Well meme'd, good sir
- midoridensha 4y ago
  Online tax prep isn't a net positive at all. It's a solution to a problem that doesn't need to exist. In normal countries, the government already knows your income and other such info, and fills out your taxes for you; you just have to verify and sign, unless there's a problem. Messaging apps are a bit similar: SMS is so horrible that proprietary apps were made as a better alternative, but it's all Balkanized and incompatible. Still, they fill a need, since communication is important and something people should do (tax prep is not: most people shouldn't be doing it at all).
- everdrive 4y ago
  I agree that the parent is being overly pessimistic, but on balance I’m not sure that your list represents a net positive. The iPhone especially has been negative, as it nearly single-handedly ushered in the era of ubiquitous smartphones, vendor lock-in, and app stores.
- Am4TIfIsER0ppos 4y ago
  The smartphone is the worst invention in the history of the world. Worse than nuclear weapons, worse than corona virus, worse than leaded gasoline. It is an enslavement device, a tracking device, a spying device. [EDIT] Messaging "apps" used to be neutral but now are trending negative due to being controlled by spy companies. Taxation is theft so making it easier doesn't sound like a good thing. Spotify is a service designed to remove your property rights under guise of giving you access to a large catalogue. Dropbox is a government surveillance service. Upload your files so the government can scan them. Drones are govt surveillance devices. 3d printing is neutral.
  - turbokatsu20 4y ago
    Taxation is theft? Really? I presume your taxes don't pay for anything you use on a regular basis in your country if you're saying thay right?
    - Am4TIfIsER0ppos 4y ago
      Nope. Roads? Government won't let me drive without more taxes. Healthcare? Haven't seen a doctor in a decade, not that it is "free" here anyway. Electricity, gas, water: paid for by me with duties and levies and tax on top. Firefighters? Have never once called for their services but I would pay them when needed. Police? They're the ones who enforce the stealing. Plus they get special privileges the rest of us don't.
richardatlarge 4y ago
Another way to phrase this point: if I had to choose between all of it, so far, or none of it — I’d choose the latter. And as I type here now, I say I would. Pull the plug
rkho 4y ago
How do you quantify each of: - The tech industry - Net positive benefit - Humanity ?
gsatic 4y ago
Agree. Calling what they do as tech is the biggest joke. Whenever I read Big Tech my brain changes it to Big Shit.
- osigurdson 4y ago
  I’d say it is Big Ad for the most part. “Tech” was needed to achieve the requisite scale but the business is ads for the most part.
chrisbolt 4y ago
- Sent from my iPhone
euroderf 4y ago
I could agree with this if one carves out an exception for accessibility tech. It's wonderful when someone disabled can communicate more easily.

The tech industry hasn't produced one net positive benefit for humanity in the past 20 years.

by ynab4 4y ago

The tech industry hasn't produced one net positive benefit for humanity in the past 20 years.

klyrs 4y ago

I was gonna say "what about arxiv or Wikipedia" but I'm unsure that nonprofits should count as "industry"

throwaway5959 4y ago

The iPhone, messaging apps, online tax preparation (I do my taxes on my _phone_), Spotify, Dropbox, drones, 3d printing, etc provide no value?

arp242 4y ago
"No value" is of course not the same as "net positive benefit". Takes drones for example. I've been woken by them at 7am on campsites. I've been quietly reading a book at the beach only to be disrupted by some instagram addict with a drone. Peaceful walks in the mountains have been disrupted. As far as I'm concerned, they're a net-negative. They're excessively loud, annoying, and as far as I'm concerned they're net-negative. You're other examples are more complex, but my point is mainly: "provides value" is not identical to "net positive benefit".
ynab4 4y ago
"The iPhone" Well meme'd, good sir
midoridensha 4y ago
Online tax prep isn't a net positive at all. It's a solution to a problem that doesn't need to exist. In normal countries, the government already knows your income and other such info, and fills out your taxes for you; you just have to verify and sign, unless there's a problem. Messaging apps are a bit similar: SMS is so horrible that proprietary apps were made as a better alternative, but it's all Balkanized and incompatible. Still, they fill a need, since communication is important and something people should do (tax prep is not: most people shouldn't be doing it at all).
everdrive 4y ago
I agree that the parent is being overly pessimistic, but on balance I’m not sure that your list represents a net positive. The iPhone especially has been negative, as it nearly single-handedly ushered in the era of ubiquitous smartphones, vendor lock-in, and app stores.
Am4TIfIsER0ppos 4y ago
The smartphone is the worst invention in the history of the world. Worse than nuclear weapons, worse than corona virus, worse than leaded gasoline. It is an enslavement device, a tracking device, a spying device. [EDIT] Messaging "apps" used to be neutral but now are trending negative due to being controlled by spy companies. Taxation is theft so making it easier doesn't sound like a good thing. Spotify is a service designed to remove your property rights under guise of giving you access to a large catalogue. Dropbox is a government surveillance service. Upload your files so the government can scan them. Drones are govt surveillance devices. 3d printing is neutral.
- turbokatsu20 4y ago
  Taxation is theft? Really? I presume your taxes don't pay for anything you use on a regular basis in your country if you're saying thay right?
  - Am4TIfIsER0ppos 4y ago
    Nope. Roads? Government won't let me drive without more taxes. Healthcare? Haven't seen a doctor in a decade, not that it is "free" here anyway. Electricity, gas, water: paid for by me with duties and levies and tax on top. Firefighters? Have never once called for their services but I would pay them when needed. Police? They're the ones who enforce the stealing. Plus they get special privileges the rest of us don't.

richardatlarge 4y ago

Another way to phrase this point: if I had to choose between all of it, so far, or none of it — I’d choose the latter. And as I type here now, I say I would. Pull the plug

rkho 4y ago

How do you quantify each of: - The tech industry - Net positive benefit - Humanity ?

gsatic 4y ago

Agree. Calling what they do as tech is the biggest joke. Whenever I read Big Tech my brain changes it to Big Shit.

osigurdson 4y ago
I’d say it is Big Ad for the most part. “Tech” was needed to achieve the requisite scale but the business is ads for the most part.

chrisbolt 4y ago

- Sent from my iPhone

euroderf 4y ago

I could agree with this if one carves out an exception for accessibility tech. It's wonderful when someone disabled can communicate more easily.