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Except that's supporting the ego of a particularly questionable billionaire instead of being truly R&D for its own sake in advancing technology.

by treyd 2y ago

Krustopolis 2y ago
What is questionable about Peter Thiel?
- drowntoge 2y ago
  That I'd happily go back to the stone age rather than have him and the likes of him own the tech sector and be left alone in driving it into the next century. And I'm far from alone in feeling this way.
- treyd 2y ago
  He's closely associated with the Neoreactionary movement (NRx, for more research look up Curtis Yarvin) and coincidentally happens to be on good terms with the new VP pick JD Vance. They see principles like democracy as barriers to achiving personal power and enrichment. It makes a lot of sense he'd build a surveillance firm. Relatively recent article from the Atlantic specifically on Thiel: https://archive.is/1Nz71 https://archive.is/1Nz71 Slightly older article in Vanity Fair that covers his connections with NRx and other topics: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/04/inside-the-new-right-where-peter-thiel-is-placing-his-biggest-bets https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/04/inside-the-new-right...
- Apocryphon 2y ago
  He first stated that he would "no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible" in an essay in 2009, his ideology is pretty old hat now. https://www.cato-unbound.org/2009/04/13/peter-thiel/education-libertarian/ https://www.cato-unbound.org/2009/04/13/peter-thiel/educatio...
- saagarjha 2y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel#Political_views_and_activities https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel#Political_views_an...
throwaway3306a 2y ago
Bell Labs were never about research and development for its own sake.
- treyd 2y ago
  To refine what I meant to say, much of the R&D they did was not directly productizable and was highly experimental. Which was only possible because of how insulated from external market forces the environment inside Bell Labs was. Thiel Fellowships are not aimed at that kind of work and also Thiel is not to be trusted.

Except that's supporting the ego of a particularly questionable billionaire instead of being truly R&D for its own sake in advancing technology.

by treyd 2y ago

Except that's supporting the ego of a particularly questionable billionaire instead of being truly R&D for its own sake in advancing technology.

Krustopolis 2y ago

What is questionable about Peter Thiel?

drowntoge 2y ago
That I'd happily go back to the stone age rather than have him and the likes of him own the tech sector and be left alone in driving it into the next century. And I'm far from alone in feeling this way.
treyd 2y ago
He's closely associated with the Neoreactionary movement (NRx, for more research look up Curtis Yarvin) and coincidentally happens to be on good terms with the new VP pick JD Vance. They see principles like democracy as barriers to achiving personal power and enrichment. It makes a lot of sense he'd build a surveillance firm. Relatively recent article from the Atlantic specifically on Thiel: https://archive.is/1Nz71 https://archive.is/1Nz71 Slightly older article in Vanity Fair that covers his connections with NRx and other topics: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/04/inside-the-new-right-where-peter-thiel-is-placing-his-biggest-bets https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/04/inside-the-new-right...
Apocryphon 2y ago
He first stated that he would "no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible" in an essay in 2009, his ideology is pretty old hat now. https://www.cato-unbound.org/2009/04/13/peter-thiel/education-libertarian/ https://www.cato-unbound.org/2009/04/13/peter-thiel/educatio...
saagarjha 2y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel#Political_views_and_activities https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel#Political_views_an...

throwaway3306a 2y ago

Bell Labs were never about research and development for its own sake.

treyd 2y ago
To refine what I meant to say, much of the R&D they did was not directly productizable and was highly experimental. Which was only possible because of how insulated from external market forces the environment inside Bell Labs was. Thiel Fellowships are not aimed at that kind of work and also Thiel is not to be trusted.