Hacker News Reader

I think the more modern version of this arrangement would be for Alexander to work at/start a think tank, which has the advantage of being tax-exempt for the patron.

Or for a less formal, more distributed solution, there is of course Patreon.

View on HN

That’s interesting, although my understanding of Think Tanks is that they’re meant to be following an editorial line

The philosopher Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king. Said Aristippus, "If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils."

Diogenes replied, "Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king".

I think some think tanks are sponsored to support scholars, and public intellectuals, that hold particular beliefs. Others are more academic, and will have scholars with multiple viewpoints.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com