4 ms·

I've always thought that was a very shallow definition and this has just helped me finally realize why I think that. Basically, I could announce that I'm offer

I've always thought that was a very shallow definition and this has just helped me finally realize why I think that. Basically, I could announce that I'm offering a service whereby you give me $50 dollars and I call you gullible. If I find 100,000 people willing to do that, it would mean that my service is "worth" $5,000,000 dollars. The "worth" you're talking about does not seem to me as a very good indicator of whether we're improving the world or not.

ctdonath 14y ago
Obtuse straw-man hypotheticals do not make for convincing argument. To the contrary, the fact that you can't find anyone to pay you $50 to call them gullible shows that "service" isn't worth $5M. Unless, of course, you consider politicians... If you're not involved in the transaction, you're not in a position to decide "whether we're improving the world or not". Millions daily spend ~$50 for an extravagant meal, far beyond nutritional needs, and having nothing but excrement to show for it. Would you discount those goods/services as "not improving the world" and not worth millions of dollars?
- yen223 14y ago
  Codemage's comment neatly explains Facebook's current predicament though. All of us suck at valuation it seems.
  - ctdonath 14y ago
    Clarification: we suck at predicting what something's value to others will be.
- thinkingisfun 14y ago
  "$50 for an extravagant meal, far beyond nutritional needs" "Would you discount those goods/services as "not improving the world" and not worth millions of dollars?" Yes. Considering how people actually starve because of speculation with food, and considering global warming, I wouldn't even blink when saying that makes the world worse. So I'm all for stepping on that toe and see where it leads. Kinda like making wearing fur uncool -- why not? Where is the problem?

4 ms·

I've always thought that was a very shallow definition and this has just helped me finally realize why I think that. Basically, I could announce that I'm offer

by CodeMage 14y ago

ctdonath 14y ago
Obtuse straw-man hypotheticals do not make for convincing argument. To the contrary, the fact that you can't find anyone to pay you $50 to call them gullible shows that "service" isn't worth $5M. Unless, of course, you consider politicians... If you're not involved in the transaction, you're not in a position to decide "whether we're improving the world or not". Millions daily spend ~$50 for an extravagant meal, far beyond nutritional needs, and having nothing but excrement to show for it. Would you discount those goods/services as "not improving the world" and not worth millions of dollars?
- yen223 14y ago
  Codemage's comment neatly explains Facebook's current predicament though. All of us suck at valuation it seems.
  - ctdonath 14y ago
    Clarification: we suck at predicting what something's value to others will be.
- thinkingisfun 14y ago
  "$50 for an extravagant meal, far beyond nutritional needs" "Would you discount those goods/services as "not improving the world" and not worth millions of dollars?" Yes. Considering how people actually starve because of speculation with food, and considering global warming, I wouldn't even blink when saying that makes the world worse. So I'm all for stepping on that toe and see where it leads. Kinda like making wearing fur uncool -- why not? Where is the problem?