#silicon-valley

[sxpxrmxrgxr]

[thoughtportal]

The Incredible Tantrum Venture Capitalists Threw Over Silicon Valley Bank

Remind me why, exactly, these guys have so much control over technological innovation?

It’s not obvious to me why venture capitalists should be so in control of what tech gets funded, who designs it, how it gets developed, why it gets deployed, and where the returns go. If it is simply a question of capital, we can and should explore alternatives to the privately run VC system prioritizing tech that degrades and commodifies more of our life, gambles on these developments with other people’s money, and in the blink of an eye causes regular panics that threaten to upend life for countless people. If it is a question of talent, we can and should recognize that these people are not any smarter or more talented than us—they just have more capital to throw at problems, better connections to ensure things work out their way, and less shame preventing them from pursuing what they want. If it is a question of politics, then we should ask whether a system that subsidizes a bunch of well-connected, wealthy libertarians as they enrich one another with lottery tickets is truly the only way we can and should develop technology. I hope not.

[siliconpiper]

you know what Dinesh?? SAME

[isay]

Which Tech Company Is Really the Most Evil?

The 30 most dangerous corporations in the industry, ranked by the people who know.

Is it the one with the CEO that sends dick pics?

Worth a read to find out about all their fuckery.

[jmp3213]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214?ucid=WSJ_SMD_RED_BRA_EVR_IYB_INT_NAP_BRS_BRO&mod=wsj_brd_tech_fb_june_brandcampaign_boardroomshrooms_infeed&dclid=CLDN1_PG34YDFY0vaAgdV5QPwg

[erikag59]

The Real Threat From A.I. Isn’t Superintelligence. It’s Gullibility.

Our gullibility, that is.

From the article:

Don’t worry about superintelligent A.I.s trying to enslave us; worry about ignorant and venal A.I.s designed to squeeze every penny of online ad revenue out of us.

And worry about police agencies that gullibly think A.I.s can anticipate crimes before they occur—when in reality all they do is perpetuate harmful stereotypes about minorities.

[erikag59]

The Jetsons, Now 60 Years Old, Is Iconic. That’s a Problem.

Stop this crazy thing!

From the essay:

The writers of The Jetsons might have missed the impact of their envisioned world on people’s health, but they clearly had some misgivings about the space-age future they animated. Through their occasional insertion of machine malfunctions and, most viscerally, when they trapped poor George on the treadmill, they warned us. Sixty years of pursuing their vision has brought us, as Paul Simon once put it, the age of miracles and wonder. And yet those warnings also ring true. We’ve now learned enough to know that this pursuit comes with unsustainable consequences. We’re now equipped with a more sophisticated understanding of the complex interplay among humans, technology, and the Earth. Let’s use that understanding to chart a new course.