so called modern "tech" can't build anything that isn't made out of bits. After that essay, a16z went on to fund a digital nightclub for nerds (clubhouse), tons of crypto schemes, and now apparently the next iteration on landlording. So pretty much anything that doesn't involve building something in the physical world.

when covid came around every single one of these entrepreneurs was spamming twitter with how they're doing their part in saving everyone, yet at the end of the day it was the pharma sector and governments who actually did it.

Even within the software sector it's largely companies like Microsoft or Apple, preceding the Andreessen generation who genuinely build things. Including here on HN in particular there needs to be a critical re-evaluation of the entire 'startup economy' and how much of it is just digital rent-seeking on top of physical infrastructure that other people build.