Comment by headcanon | Hacker News Reader

Comment by headcanon | Hacker News Reader

I don't think this is really saying anything at all, other than to drum up a negative association (or positive, depending on how you look at it). Thiel is not involved with YC-backed ACLU, just as he is not involved with the YC-backed company I work at.

Business is as business does. Sam Altman has stated he is not going to cut ties with Thiel over political issues [1]. At their level of influence, doing so burns bridges unnecessarily, and sends a clear message that polarization and bubble-creating is OK, and its not. YC wants to set a good example for the tech community by influencing the world in a positive way (e.g. ACLU) and not in a negative, spiteful way (dropping Thiel).

http://www.recode.net/2016/10/16/13302120/y-combinator-sam-a...

“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.” F. Scott Fitzgerald

It is something I was never able to do. It is clear that to really make it in life, idealist have to dial down their inner voice - a lot.

I do not think that, given the chance, I would ever be able to work for/with people like Peter Thiel. But I have great respect for educated, smart, strong and generous people, who are able to work with those who doubt evolution, who doubt climate change, or who put their archaic beliefs above those of others and decide how they should live their life. But the world it seems is increasingly fractured, and a lot of doors open up for those able to work efficiently with the other team, or outside of any team.

Bridge building at every opportunity with those of opposing political views should become the policy of the tech community. Hopefully the YC/ACLU collaboration can make some headway on solving the problem of both sides demonizing the other.

"polarization and bubble-creating is OK, and its not." - says the man who advocates giving a break to a supporter of the most polarizing president in living memory.

Screw that, there is something called "ethics", and the supporters of the The New World Order (Trump, Bannon, Thiel, Farage, Le Pen, Putin, and so on) needs to be shunned.

Yeah you're right

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