6 ms·

I agree. The general public does not know much as much as they should about this topic, and the tech scene needs to be saturated before the information can spi

by sev 13y ago

I agree. The general public does not know much as much as they should about this topic, and the tech scene needs to be saturated before the information can spill out vastly enough into the general public. And there is a fundamental issue that's important to continue discussing, and that is all the logical answers to potential questions that the general public may have that even we don't have precise, logical, and unarguable answers to...such as "I don't have anything to hide, so why do I care if they're spying on me?"

kamjam 13y ago
Without a SOPA style blackout campaign by the major players, the message will never reach the masses, which is unfortunate. But this time the major players are not only in bed with the government, they've been caught with their pants down.
threeseed 13y ago
The general public knows as much as they want to know about the topic. And wake up and smell the coffee here. Nobody cares what you, me or the rest of the "tech scene" thinks about politics. It's the pathetic arrogance of people in the "tech scene" who walk around acting like they are the only enlightened ones and they are somehow uniquely qualified to educate people on the subject.
- jlgreco 13y ago
  See, that makes some sense to me. On the other hand, rayiner's constant calls to people in tech to stop being apathetic or even hostile to politics and actually flex the muscles our economical standing affords us makes more sense to me. Tech is huge, but we have less influence than special interests groups that represent far smaller industries (Apple alone nearly has enough cash to swallow the US music industry). That sure as hell isn't because we've been trying to hard.
  - threeseed 13y ago
    I am sorry but nobody cares what a bunch of computer nerds thinks about politics. And remind me again why they should ? What because there is money in technology ? Great. Next time I am looking for help fixing my car I will ask a florist.
    - jlgreco 13y ago
      > "I am sorry but nobody cares what a bunch of computer nerds thinks about politics." Currently? You're right, they don't. That is the problem. A problem that is not solved by saying "shut-up about politics and go back to your programming caves you nerds." Why is it important that they care? Well, here is rayiner's comment that I am thinking of: ""Wahh wahh we're too busy running a business to make our voice heard in Congress, wahh wahh." The cost of a successful lobbying presence is measured in the tens of millions of dollars a year, which is chump change for an industry as big and influential as the tech industry. Heck, construction companies have a much more organized and effective lobby, and they basically make no money at all (see the article on the front page about their 1% margins). Really, it's not that much money. Raise it on Kickstarter or whatever. There is a bizarre mental block/persecution complex/"I'm going to take my balls and go home" phenomenon at play in the tech industry that's makes no sense to me. Silicon Valley isn't a special snowflake and Congress isn't going to divine its needs and tend to them. You've got one side telling Congress that absolutely everything needs to be patentable to keep the Chinese from stealing all our technology, and nothing but deafening silence in response. What exactly do you expect to happen in that circumstance?" https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5935469 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5935469
    - ferdo 13y ago
      > nobody cares what a bunch of computer nerds thinks about politics. Until nerds produce something that changes the political game. PGP, Bit Torrent and Bitcoin are three examples.
      - diminoten 13y ago
        Tools are tools, it's how they're used that is political, not their mere existence or creation.

by sev 13y ago

kamjam 13y ago

Without a SOPA style blackout campaign by the major players, the message will never reach the masses, which is unfortunate. But this time the major players are not only in bed with the government, they've been caught with their pants down.

threeseed 13y ago

The general public knows as much as they want to know about the topic. And wake up and smell the coffee here. Nobody cares what you, me or the rest of the "tech scene" thinks about politics. It's the pathetic arrogance of people in the "tech scene" who walk around acting like they are the only enlightened ones and they are somehow uniquely qualified to educate people on the subject.

jlgreco 13y ago
See, that makes some sense to me. On the other hand, rayiner's constant calls to people in tech to stop being apathetic or even hostile to politics and actually flex the muscles our economical standing affords us makes more sense to me. Tech is huge, but we have less influence than special interests groups that represent far smaller industries (Apple alone nearly has enough cash to swallow the US music industry). That sure as hell isn't because we've been trying to hard.
- threeseed 13y ago
  I am sorry but nobody cares what a bunch of computer nerds thinks about politics. And remind me again why they should ? What because there is money in technology ? Great. Next time I am looking for help fixing my car I will ask a florist.
  - jlgreco 13y ago
    > "I am sorry but nobody cares what a bunch of computer nerds thinks about politics." Currently? You're right, they don't. That is the problem. A problem that is not solved by saying "shut-up about politics and go back to your programming caves you nerds." Why is it important that they care? Well, here is rayiner's comment that I am thinking of: ""Wahh wahh we're too busy running a business to make our voice heard in Congress, wahh wahh." The cost of a successful lobbying presence is measured in the tens of millions of dollars a year, which is chump change for an industry as big and influential as the tech industry. Heck, construction companies have a much more organized and effective lobby, and they basically make no money at all (see the article on the front page about their 1% margins). Really, it's not that much money. Raise it on Kickstarter or whatever. There is a bizarre mental block/persecution complex/"I'm going to take my balls and go home" phenomenon at play in the tech industry that's makes no sense to me. Silicon Valley isn't a special snowflake and Congress isn't going to divine its needs and tend to them. You've got one side telling Congress that absolutely everything needs to be patentable to keep the Chinese from stealing all our technology, and nothing but deafening silence in response. What exactly do you expect to happen in that circumstance?" https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5935469 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5935469
  - ferdo 13y ago
    > nobody cares what a bunch of computer nerds thinks about politics. Until nerds produce something that changes the political game. PGP, Bit Torrent and Bitcoin are three examples.
    - diminoten 13y ago
      Tools are tools, it's how they're used that is political, not their mere existence or creation.