8 ms·

Its sad that everytime there is a post about Facebook the comments are extremely toxic and negative, and don't really even discuss the article itself. I would a

by Xyik 8y ago

Its sad that everytime there is a post about Facebook the comments are extremely toxic and negative, and don't really even discuss the article itself. I would argue that 80% of all tech companies are doing close to 0 in making the world a 'better place'.

lern_too_spel 8y ago
But few are actively making the world a worse place.
minikites 8y ago
I wouldn't limit that 80% to the technology industry. Capitalism isn't optimized for human or societal welfare, it's optimized for resource extraction and the production of disposable goods.
genericone 8y ago
Facebook's goal: Connect all the people Google's goal: Organize all the information Amazon's goal: Sell all the merchandise ----------- Taken at face value, all those companies were/are all trying to make the world a better place in the ways available to them. But when the externalities of those goals affect other people, they will become hated. Everyone has a different opinion of what 'better' means. Since giant companies are most able to execute their vision of better, they will get most of the hate from people who have a different opinion of better. Looks to me like its all just a battle for power: People with ideas but lacking implementation and execution, vs Companies with ideas, implementation, execution, AND momentum. Let's not forget all the different forms of government either...
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- omgtehlion 8y ago
  Facebook's goal: sell ads Google's goal: sell more ads Amazon's goal: Sell all the merchandise... and ads FTFY
  - genericone 8y ago
    NYT/WaPo/WSJ: Make people click or view ads All other news outlets: Make people click or view ads Random-blog: Make people click or view ads Free games companies: Make people click or view ads. Internet businesses are a vicious circle of cash for ads. Ads are deeply embedded in the business model, but is advertising the goal of any of these companies?
chaosbutters314 8y ago
I wouldn't call this toxic in the least. There is no name calling or childish behavior. I would just call it debating. I have a coworker that is jealous of me and my boss because we go at it, but we both know it isn't personal. It is about making the right call on a project. We each think we are right and just trying to make our point So I think this thread is just more intense but there is no ill will
- fogetti 8y ago
  I find it ironic that you agree with yourself that you are a good guy (which I am not saying you are not).
drb91 8y ago
Seems like the sad thing is that SV companies are actively making the world worse, not that reaction to this is negative.
pq0ak2nnd 8y ago
"I would argue that 80% of all tech companies are doing close to 0 in making the world a 'better place'." I can only speak for the tech co I worked for: Intel, for 23 years. Three sabbaticals, lots of worthless options, and 6 years without a raise that led to a class-action lawsuit. Intel likes to circle-jerk about how they are making the world a better place. But it is a heavily fallacious argument. It's like a hammer company saying they provide shelter to billions. Upper management gets all lubed up at their BUMs (business update meetings) telling everyone how the next generation core with a 5% performance increase somehow makes the world magic. Intel now is just fighting off competition and praying for inertia and no disruptive tech. It was nauseating. I finally had to leave.
phaedryx 8y ago
I'll just leave this here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Facebook https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Facebook
cambalache 8y ago
Say, how much money can one make in astroturfing?
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- dang 8y ago
  This comment breaks the site guidelines. If you'd please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and follow the rules when posting here, we'd appreciate it. Be sure not to miss the one about accusations of astroturfing.

by Xyik 8y ago

lern_too_spel 8y ago

But few are actively making the world a worse place.

minikites 8y ago

I wouldn't limit that 80% to the technology industry. Capitalism isn't optimized for human or societal welfare, it's optimized for resource extraction and the production of disposable goods.

genericone 8y ago

Facebook's goal: Connect all the people Google's goal: Organize all the information Amazon's goal: Sell all the merchandise ----------- Taken at face value, all those companies were/are all trying to make the world a better place in the ways available to them. But when the externalities of those goals affect other people, they will become hated. Everyone has a different opinion of what 'better' means. Since giant companies are most able to execute their vision of better, they will get most of the hate from people who have a different opinion of better. Looks to me like its all just a battle for power: People with ideas but lacking implementation and execution, vs Companies with ideas, implementation, execution, AND momentum. Let's not forget all the different forms of government either...

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
omgtehlion 8y ago
Facebook's goal: sell ads Google's goal: sell more ads Amazon's goal: Sell all the merchandise... and ads FTFY
- genericone 8y ago
  NYT/WaPo/WSJ: Make people click or view ads All other news outlets: Make people click or view ads Random-blog: Make people click or view ads Free games companies: Make people click or view ads. Internet businesses are a vicious circle of cash for ads. Ads are deeply embedded in the business model, but is advertising the goal of any of these companies?

chaosbutters314 8y ago

I wouldn't call this toxic in the least. There is no name calling or childish behavior. I would just call it debating. I have a coworker that is jealous of me and my boss because we go at it, but we both know it isn't personal. It is about making the right call on a project. We each think we are right and just trying to make our point So I think this thread is just more intense but there is no ill will

fogetti 8y ago
I find it ironic that you agree with yourself that you are a good guy (which I am not saying you are not).

drb91 8y ago

Seems like the sad thing is that SV companies are actively making the world worse, not that reaction to this is negative.

pq0ak2nnd 8y ago

"I would argue that 80% of all tech companies are doing close to 0 in making the world a 'better place'." I can only speak for the tech co I worked for: Intel, for 23 years. Three sabbaticals, lots of worthless options, and 6 years without a raise that led to a class-action lawsuit. Intel likes to circle-jerk about how they are making the world a better place. But it is a heavily fallacious argument. It's like a hammer company saying they provide shelter to billions. Upper management gets all lubed up at their BUMs (business update meetings) telling everyone how the next generation core with a 5% performance increase somehow makes the world magic. Intel now is just fighting off competition and praying for inertia and no disruptive tech. It was nauseating. I finally had to leave.

phaedryx 8y ago

I'll just leave this here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Facebook https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Facebook

cambalache 8y ago

Say, how much money can one make in astroturfing?

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
dang 8y ago
This comment breaks the site guidelines. If you'd please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and follow the rules when posting here, we'd appreciate it. Be sure not to miss the one about accusations of astroturfing.