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Tech plutocrats like Thiel and Elon Musk already have money, now they want power. Why tech billionaires are aligning with the Trump Vance ticket.

Where J.D. Vance Gets His Weird, Terrifying Techno-Authoritarian Ideas

https://newrepublic.com/article/183971/jd-vance-weird-terrifying-techno-authoritarian-ideas

Yes, Peter Thiel was the senator’s benefactor. But they’re both inspired by an obscure software developer who has some truly frightening thoughts about reordering society.

Where J.D. Vance Gets His Weird, Terrifying Techno-Authoritarian Ideas

25 comments

silence7

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This is seriously messed up:

He then concluded that the “best humane alternative to genocide” is to “virtualize” these people: Imprison them in “permanent solitary confinement” where, to avoid making them insane, they would be connected to an “immersive virtual-reality interface” so they could “experience a rich, fulfilling life in a completely imaginary world.”

Yarvin’s disturbing manifestos have earned him influential followers, chief among them: tech billionaire Peter Thiel and his onetime Silicon Valley protégé Senator J.D. Vance

LodeMike

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That's a real thing that someone said?

Hadriscus

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Apparently. It's also roughly the plot to The Matrix. And to Halo4, to an extent. And that episode of Black Mirror

silence7

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Pretty much "Science fiction warns us of the evils of building the Torment Nexus. Let's tell people why a Torment Nexus is really great and build one!"

mosiacmango

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The only possible positive use for the torment nexus is to put torment nexus supporters in it.

Archer

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How about we just outlaw and not build orphan crushing machines?

HubertManne

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thats the idea. We will hook up people to use them like batteries and tell everyone on the outside its not horrible, painful, torture because we have them in a virtual utopia. Can I go to the utopia. no its just for bad people.

silence7

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They wrote a book saying that, yes.

Zos_Kia

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Is that from one of those "rationalist" influencers?

silence7

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Yes, Curtis Yarvin, writing under the pen name Mencius Moldbug

Skyrmir

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That and they're on the pedo peddlers Rolodex. It's starting to scream of CYA.

AshMan85

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yeah it is called fascism

ShittyBeatlesFCPres

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Right? Who is surprised the openly fascist fascists are fascists? Peter Thiel was a fascist in college. Elon Musk talks about eugenics all the time. It’s not like they’ve kept their political views a secret.

RedAggroBest

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Peter Thiel literally wrote a fuckin essay on why he thinks democracy isn't compatible with what he calls "freedom".

CharlesDarwin

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I hate that assholes like this have so much influence over our lives.

RememberTheApollo_

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“Democracy prevents me from doing everything I want to do without consequences” —Thiel

odelik

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CharlesDarwin

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Poor Thiel must be so stupid and naive to believe he won't be someone they come after if the fascists seize power. Maybe not right away, but they'll get around to it.

captainlezbian

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Every fascist is gambling with their life. Thiel is betting he’s less likely to get the long knives than the Roy Cohn/“don’t ask don’t tell” treatment. And it isn’t a terrible gamble. He wants to be the King James the Misogynist of technofascist America. The Frederick the Great of Silicon Valley.

My bet though is that he’ll get a long knife or a short rope.

drdiddlybadger

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They fail to understand that power is ultimately useless. It will just be taken by someone else who wants the same and then you wind up with a knife to the Gooch.

eatthecake

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I really fucking hate that they steal their company names from Tolkien.

treadful

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This would make for a good dystopic movie. I do not want to live in it.

skillissuer

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curiouschipmunk

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I'm sure nothing that is happening has to do with Biden's plan on taxing harder the 1%...

BigMacHole

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I want to support the SAME people that Billionaire's support because Billionaires HISTORICALLY only do what's BEST for the WORKING Class like me!