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“My most effective and moral friends are now working for Palantir,” Ganesan says. This statement is so absurd to me I don’t even know where to begin. Effectiv

by bix6 2y ago

“My most effective and moral friends are now working for Palantir,” Ganesan says. This statement is so absurd to me I don’t even know where to begin. Effective, sure. Moral? Hmmmm. I’m not sure building tech to snipe people from on high is moral?

bix6 2y ago
I was curious so Chat looked this fun fact up: As of March 2025, Herbert L. Abrams is the only individual affiliated with Stanford University who has been associated with a Nobel Peace Prize. He served as the founding vice president of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), which was collectively awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985 for its efforts to prevent nuclear war.
delichon 2y ago
If you believe "si vis pacem, para bellum", then yes, moral plus essential.
gorpy7 2y ago
Is it possible to be moral and dead?
- flashgordon 2y ago
  Quite possible. But is it preferable though?
bell-cot 2y ago
Stanford is packed with extremely bright, ambitious students. Who can easily optimize their "beliefs and values", for getting ahead. What's the big downside, from their PoV? Being regarded as "immoral" by a few mostly-impotent-and-irrelevant idealists is probably an upside, due to the cred boost in their new in-group.
johncoltrane 2y ago
Morality is not absolute.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
threatofrain 2y ago
Do you think war is just inherently immoral? What should a country do to not be Ukraine?
- citadel_melon 2y ago
  It’s an important question. I think of a saying I once heard about picking a SWE job: “back in the day, if you went to finance you were evil and if you went to big tech you were good. Now, you are evil no matter where you go.” Previously, one could argue that choosing to give your labor to an industry with superior values and alignment of incentives over another would provide the most good as that industry will naturally assert and perpetuate its values and personal interest throughout society and government. However, it’s unclear what industry has superior values and best alignment of incentives with society.

by bix6 2y ago

bix6 2y ago

I was curious so Chat looked this fun fact up: As of March 2025, Herbert L. Abrams is the only individual affiliated with Stanford University who has been associated with a Nobel Peace Prize. He served as the founding vice president of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), which was collectively awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985 for its efforts to prevent nuclear war.

delichon 2y ago

If you believe "si vis pacem, para bellum", then yes, moral plus essential.

gorpy7 2y ago

Is it possible to be moral and dead?

flashgordon 2y ago
Quite possible. But is it preferable though?

bell-cot 2y ago

Stanford is packed with extremely bright, ambitious students. Who can easily optimize their "beliefs and values", for getting ahead. What's the big downside, from their PoV? Being regarded as "immoral" by a few mostly-impotent-and-irrelevant idealists is probably an upside, due to the cred boost in their new in-group.

johncoltrane 2y ago

Morality is not absolute.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

threatofrain 2y ago

Do you think war is just inherently immoral? What should a country do to not be Ukraine?

citadel_melon 2y ago
It’s an important question. I think of a saying I once heard about picking a SWE job: “back in the day, if you went to finance you were evil and if you went to big tech you were good. Now, you are evil no matter where you go.” Previously, one could argue that choosing to give your labor to an industry with superior values and alignment of incentives over another would provide the most good as that industry will naturally assert and perpetuate its values and personal interest throughout society and government. However, it’s unclear what industry has superior values and best alignment of incentives with society.