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Then the VCs that fund Zynga are equally culpable for these scams - http://www.zynga.com/about http://www.zynga.com/about Kleiner Perkins, Foundry Group, Union

by hop 17y ago

Then the VCs that fund Zynga are equally culpable for these scams - http://www.zynga.com/about http://www.zynga.com/about Kleiner Perkins, Foundry Group, Union Square Ventures, Peter Thiel's Clarium Capital, more...

motoko 17y ago
I don't include Peter Thiel as equally culpable. As far as I know, Thiel failed to invent a state-free currency with Max Levchin, and over decades, he witnessed the defeat of uncompromising humanity over unconditional growth, and now Peter Thiel probably understands himself as like the Adrian Veidt character from the Watchmen. That is my best hypothesis. Who has obsessed more about the cancers of human behaviors than Thiel and his circle? He seems like a person who would feed cancer now if he projected his culpability as minimizing E(cancer).
- ryanwaggoner 17y ago
  ...what?
  - motoko 17y ago
    Oh, I mean that I don't agree that Peter Thiel and his investment group is "equally responsible" for the decay of ethics online because I don't think Peter Thiel believes in money. I'm sure Peter believes YOU believe in money, but he himself probably would prefer a world with some better way of storing and moving wealth ---even if to get that world, he must sponsor companies he himself does not like. I don't know Peter Thiel; this is what I think from his writing and his past history. PayPal was originally the "new world currency." There is an old PayPal sticker on the pool table that says "PayPal: New World Currency" in Molly's Tavern in Mountain View. I think Peter Thiel and Max Levchin meant that literally... but, then their investors intervened to secure a safer cash exit. What do you do with your life when almost succeed to make an actual New World Currency... but then people you trusted, they sell you out for millions of the currency that you convinced yourself was a corrupt illusion?
Eliezer 17y ago
When were the investments made? Which of these VCs (if any) has a controlling position on the Board? It's not like a VC can say "Oops" and demand the money back after a company turns unethical. That said, writing to the VCs might indeed be an interesting strategy for handling ethically iffy startups. In fact, probably the most effective I can think of offhand. I'd just strongly recommend a polite "Please look at what this company in your portfolio is doing... I respect your group and I know you'll want to talk to them about this", not a "You! You're to blame! Damn profiteering bastards!"

by hop 17y ago

motoko 17y ago

I don't include Peter Thiel as equally culpable. As far as I know, Thiel failed to invent a state-free currency with Max Levchin, and over decades, he witnessed the defeat of uncompromising humanity over unconditional growth, and now Peter Thiel probably understands himself as like the Adrian Veidt character from the Watchmen. That is my best hypothesis. Who has obsessed more about the cancers of human behaviors than Thiel and his circle? He seems like a person who would feed cancer now if he projected his culpability as minimizing E(cancer).

ryanwaggoner 17y ago
...what?
- motoko 17y ago
  Oh, I mean that I don't agree that Peter Thiel and his investment group is "equally responsible" for the decay of ethics online because I don't think Peter Thiel believes in money. I'm sure Peter believes YOU believe in money, but he himself probably would prefer a world with some better way of storing and moving wealth ---even if to get that world, he must sponsor companies he himself does not like. I don't know Peter Thiel; this is what I think from his writing and his past history. PayPal was originally the "new world currency." There is an old PayPal sticker on the pool table that says "PayPal: New World Currency" in Molly's Tavern in Mountain View. I think Peter Thiel and Max Levchin meant that literally... but, then their investors intervened to secure a safer cash exit. What do you do with your life when almost succeed to make an actual New World Currency... but then people you trusted, they sell you out for millions of the currency that you convinced yourself was a corrupt illusion?

Eliezer 17y ago

When were the investments made? Which of these VCs (if any) has a controlling position on the Board? It's not like a VC can say "Oops" and demand the money back after a company turns unethical. That said, writing to the VCs might indeed be an interesting strategy for handling ethically iffy startups. In fact, probably the most effective I can think of offhand. I'd just strongly recommend a polite "Please look at what this company in your portfolio is doing... I respect your group and I know you'll want to talk to them about this", not a "You! You're to blame! Damn profiteering bastards!"