America, for all its terrible problems, is the world’s leading producer of new technology.
True.
That means there is an enormous ethical rationale for trying to help American society continue to prosper.
Not true. There’s rationale to help America continue be inventive, but that’s not the same thing at all as “continue to prosper” since the US looks at the moment like an empire in decline—one that will continue to prosper for a while, but will be too ossified and sclerotic to continue innovating.
Note that it’s received wisdom in Silicon Valley (and elsewhere) that you need to innovate in the world of bits because the world of atoms is too locked-down. There are some exceptions (see e.g. Musk), but overall the difference between innovations in bits and innovations in atoms is huge and stark.
Currently the most serious threat to the stability of American society is the culture war
Not true at all. Even in Berkeley what you have is young males playing political-violence LARP games (that’s how you get laid, amirite?) and that’s about it.
We can agree to disagree, but my view is that the US has dozens or hundreds of problems we can’t solve—education, criminal justice, the deficit, the military-industrial complex—because the government is paralyzed because of partisan hatred.
the US has dozens or hundreds of problems we can’t solve
True
because the government is paralyzed because of partisan hatred.
Not true. The government is paralyzed (see the grandparent: “ossified and sclerotic”) because people and institutions which find the status quo convenient and profitable are powerful and able to block changes.
And if you want a dominant active government, well, be careful of what you wish for.
because the government is paralyzed because of partisan hatred.
Eh, no. Not in the case of USA. Republicans have locked the Congress, and they have a (theoretically) Republican president. It should be smooth sailing if it were only for partisan hatred.
True.
Not true. There’s rationale to help America continue be inventive, but that’s not the same thing at all as “continue to prosper” since the US looks at the moment like an empire in decline—one that will continue to prosper for a while, but will be too ossified and sclerotic to continue innovating.
Note that it’s received wisdom in Silicon Valley (and elsewhere) that you need to innovate in the world of bits because the world of atoms is too locked-down. There are some exceptions (see e.g. Musk), but overall the difference between innovations in bits and innovations in atoms is huge and stark.
Not true at all. Even in Berkeley what you have is young males playing political-violence LARP games (that’s how you get laid, amirite?) and that’s about it.
Read less media—it optimizes for outrage.
We can agree to disagree, but my view is that the US has dozens or hundreds of problems we can’t solve—education, criminal justice, the deficit, the military-industrial complex—because the government is paralyzed because of partisan hatred.
True
Not true. The government is paralyzed (see the grandparent: “ossified and sclerotic”) because people and institutions which find the status quo convenient and profitable are powerful and able to block changes.
And if you want a dominant active government, well, be careful of what you wish for.
Eh, no. Not in the case of USA. Republicans have locked the Congress, and they have a (theoretically) Republican president. It should be smooth sailing if it were only for partisan hatred.