I think we’re maybe talking past each other. E.g. I would not classify Thiel’s political views as libertarian (I think he might have been at one point, but certainly not in the last 10+ years), and I’ll be surprised if the median American or libertarian would. Some specific points:
Example, there are many EAs working in cryptocurrency and they tend to be libertarian
To be clear, the problem with SBF is that he stole billions of dollars. Theft is no less of a problem if it was in the traditional financial system.[1]
I do believe SBF donated large sums to Republicans.
Notably, not to the Libertarian Party!
Cryptocurrency, Race-IQ differences, and polyamory tend to be libertarian dominated areas of fascination.
Seems pretty unfalsifiable to me. Also kinda irrelevant.
But I don’t really want to be speculating on these specific individuals political views, but make the broader point that those areas of itnerest are assosciated with libertarians.
Seems like an unusual framing of “to-date, all the major EA scandals have been caused by libertarians.” Usually when I think (paraphrased)”X group of people caused Y” I don’t think “X group of people have areas of interests in the vicinity of Y.”
I see where you’re coming form, but I do see libertarianism as the thread that unerpins all these scandals together.
Thiel has described himself as a conservative libertarian in the past, but yes his politics are more conservative overall now. But I make the point that surveillance/authoritarianism is not incompatible with libertarian view, and Bostrom was a an Extropian
SBF’s “problem” also includes his activities for cryptocurrency adoption, which if embraced, could have caused widespread problems in the financial system. And I want to stress, cryptocurrency scandals in EA have been broader than just SBF (e.g. Ben Delo, Avraham Eisenberg). I want to stress that the cryptocurrency scandal in EA is not just SBF, but more systematic.
I think we’re maybe talking past each other. E.g. I would not classify Thiel’s political views as libertarian (I think he might have been at one point, but certainly not in the last 10+ years), and I’ll be surprised if the median American or libertarian would. Some specific points:
To be clear, the problem with SBF is that he stole billions of dollars. Theft is no less of a problem if it was in the traditional financial system.[1]
Notably, not to the Libertarian Party!
Seems pretty unfalsifiable to me. Also kinda irrelevant.
Seems like an unusual framing of “to-date, all the major EA scandals have been caused by libertarians.” Usually when I think (paraphrased)”X group of people caused Y” I don’t think “X group of people have areas of interests in the vicinity of Y.”
If anything, non-consensual redistribution is much more of a leftist thing than that of any other modern political strand?
I see where you’re coming form, but I do see libertarianism as the thread that unerpins all these scandals together.
Thiel has described himself as a conservative libertarian in the past, but yes his politics are more conservative overall now. But I make the point that surveillance/authoritarianism is not incompatible with libertarian view, and Bostrom was a an Extropian
SBF’s “problem” also includes his activities for cryptocurrency adoption, which if embraced, could have caused widespread problems in the financial system. And I want to stress, cryptocurrency scandals in EA have been broader than just SBF (e.g. Ben Delo, Avraham Eisenberg). I want to stress that the cryptocurrency scandal in EA is not just SBF, but more systematic.