Thread

1. twelve40 · 1789960954 · focus · HN ↗

   > We (humans) should help humanity flourish. I understand that not everyone agrees. I have been called a “speciesist” for being “too human-centric”.

   this is insane. the "speciesist" people aside (the best way for all other species to flourish is for humans to eradicate themselves right now, which is completely mad), i have the opposite problem: the _axiom_ seems to be: we should help ME flourish. "Me" as in people who are raking in trillions for their own very special selves right now, at the cost of everyone else's future, while none of them can be trusted to hold my cell phone for a second.

   > if an industry commits to the axiom of helping humanity flourish

   where does he see such industries, outside of maybe nonprofits?

   1. unsupp0rted · 1789966901 · focus · HN ↗

      [dead]

      1. mettamage · 1789970627 · focus · HN ↗

         Nobody in their right mind would start a rocket company in order to make more money. I feel like he just wants to play real life Factorio and he wants everyone to tune in on his Twitch account and watch him play. Meanwhile he was trying to fix democracy [1] (and protect his own companies) by buying Twitter and at some point he realized he fucked up.

         But who knows, I could be wrong.

         I'm not exactly a fan. I'm not exactly against him either. He just seems like a hardcore geek to me that got way too much money and way too much buy-in.

         [1] I'm not saying I that I think he was fixing democracy. I'm saying that I think that he thought he was fixing democracy.

         1. kelvinjps10 · 1789972801 · focus · HN ↗

            Meanwhile he was trying to fix democracy . He was literally giving checks for people if they voted a certain way and promoted it. There is not more anti democratic than this.

            1. slopinthebag · 1789977232 · focus · HN ↗

               right because true democracy is when you give cheques to people to convince other people to vote a certain way

               1. sigmoid10 · 1789978086 · focus · HN ↗

                  Well, he is famous for axing down middle management in companies. Might as well get rid of Super PACs and buy voters directly.

                  1. slopinthebag · 1789994530 · focus · HN ↗

                     probably also preferable to buying votes by making and executing promises to give people free stuff/programs. at least they aren't using tax payer money
               2. croon · 1789978339 · focus · HN ↗

                  I don't understand how those two are connected. Both are bad though.

                  1. slopinthebag · 1789994486 · focus · HN ↗

                     my point is that there isnt much difference, and #2 happens by every politician in every democracy.

                     i have no desire to defend musk but imo people should be criticized for valid reasons or you risk diluting the other arguments.

                     1. croon · 1790001150 · focus · HN ↗

                        But the reason given was very valid and specific against Musk.

                        You introduced a separate issue that is much more widespread, but that doesn't detract from the original criticism, nor dilute it.

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.