
An Anti-Facebook Manifesto, by an Early Facebook Investor - mindgam3
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/29/books/review/roger-mcnamee-zucked.html
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mindgam3
“McNamee [early FB investor] also profited from this mentorship [of
Zuckerberg]. Along with his venture capital firm, Elevation Partners, the
author made a fortune off an early investment in Zuckerberg’s company, a
subject about which he is now suitably circumspect, given his belief that
Facebook, along with Google and other tech giants, today represents “the
greatest threat to the global order in my lifetime.”

Frankly, from someone who made millions by funding "the greatest threat to
global order in [his] lifetime", I expected a bit more soul-searching than
"suitably circumspect". Maybe it's in the book and I just need to buy it to
find out?

~~~
bksenior
Why does he have to give back money or soul search? This isa common emotional
take on all issues of this type. Human experience is dynamic and people seem
to confuse a need for some type of life consistency of values with the
validity of a "hot take" or conclusion.

I wish people would be like "im rich from it, get over it, but I realize it's
the devil." I feel like the disintegration in good faith debate is mostly
fucked because of the ease in which social media allows for an ad hominem
fallacy.

rant over//

~~~
floatrock
Because values are something you live, and if you write a book about values
which you don't appear to practice, well, you kinda come across as selling
horseshit.

You know, that whole "actions speak louder than words" thing.

I don't really know much about McNamee so please inform me if he's spent his
facebook wealth on something to counter the dystopia that he invested in. I
might buy his book if you compare him to someone like Bill Gates, who also was
a ruthless monopolist who created a dystopia of talking paperclips but now
when he talks about the existential threat of climate change or various
humanitarian issues, you know that he's pledged most of his fortune to fund
people working on those things.

That's a case when you should buy the horseshit because you can see the horse
is at least shitting what he purports to believe.

~~~
bksenior
You can have a good idea from a bad source. It doesn't really affect the
quality of the idea.

~~~
floatrock
Are we talking about an idea or ideals? As an idea, FB is monstrously
successful.

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malvosenior
_" Let’s examine the evidence. At its peak the planet’s fourth most valuable
company, and arguably its most influential, is controlled almost entirely by a
young man with the charisma of a geometry T.A."_

Is Zuck's personality really worth attacking up front in this piece? Can't he
be an awkward nerd that found success? That's not to excuse any misbehavior on
FB's part but attacking his lack of charisma seems pointless and petty.

 _" The most stirring parts of the book are those in which McNamee makes the
angry but measured argument that “social media has enabled personal views that
had previously been kept in check by social pressure.”"_

This article literally starts off saying that we're living in 1984 due to
Facebook and ends lamenting that people are allowed to voice their own
opinions on the platform. I can't imagine a further disconnect.

~~~
mindgam3
I had a similar thought about that “geometry TA” line, even though it made me
laugh at first.

I do think bringing up Zuck’s personality can be valid. But the issue isn’t
that he has a “lack of charisma”, which I agree sounds petty. Like the author
is picking on a nerd. If you’re going to mention personality, you need to go
all the way and explore antisocial or controlling tendencies, then connect
that to the platform he built.

~~~
tivert
Personally, I'm glad he lacks charisma, because it can be used to cloud
people's perceptions.

