Hacker News Reader

Comment by Mononokay | Hacker News Reader

> Uber's self-driving program seems to be one of the most unethical, most poorly-run in the entire industry.

I mean, it's Uber. I'm not sure exactly what people were expecting. Their entire schtick is being unethical and poorly-run.

View on HN

Yeah. Their motto seems to be 'easier to ask forgiveness/pay fines instead of asking for permission'.

Which I'm thankful for since I now have access to taxis because of them.

This comment is in spectacularly poor taste given the subject of this news story.

Irrespective of the ethics, the plan "worked" in that they managed to pressure local governments to change rules or otherwise let Uber operate

They did manage to get some local governments to do that, yes. I’m not sure how to interpret your comment other than as an apology/excuse for their illegal and unethical behavior.

If there’s more to your thought than “the ends justify the means,” I’m curious what it is.

Uber has been rewarded for employing schticks that GP called "unethical and poorly-run." Is it unethical? Yes, and I strongly believe that "Move fast and break things" is wholly inappropriate when people's lives are involved. Is it poorly-run? I think Uber is actually well-run if you accept that "ends justify the means" is in their DNA.

What would compel me to accept that an ethical standard that can be used to justify any amount of immoral and unethical behavior is “in a company’s DNA?” Why would I grade them on that curve?

This is like saying the Duterte is a very effective anti-drug crusader if you accept that murdering innocents and drug dealers is in his DNA.

comma ai must be so jealous

It's no less immoral in programming languages than in real life, precisely because it tends to slip from the former into the latter.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com