I think that there is a nuanced discourse to be made about tech and power, but a comment field is likely not the place to do it.
I will note that tech has no small amount of power, that traditional power centers are not uniformly thrilled about that, and that tech’s response to that has not been to stop doing the things that make tech powerful, like e.g. building things people find useful, getting them to use those things, and exercising responsible discretion as to decisions made about how those things should interface with broader society.
So why is it that tech-optimists put their efforts into the private space, rather than in public office? Why do you? Is it because you’ve been so disappointed in the status quo? Do you think any efforts would be futile? Are you suspicious of states?
Speaking only for myself, for most of my life, I did not want power and (mostly) do not want power. There was a brief period during which the prevailing allocation of power between duly constituted authorities and myself was actively killing people, and during that period my duty was clear. My most preferred world vis the public sector for the rest of my life is I occasionally send them paperwork and money and they process that paperwork efficiently. There are other potential future worlds; I predict I would enjoy them much less.
Just finished this book by Kate Bingham, a venture capitalist who was head of the UK Vaccine Task Force which invested and got companies to build their supply chains in the country, then was crucified by the media for her efforts. Similar themes to you—gov naivety, lack of technical knowledge, obsession with process over outcome, the optics over the details. I recommend it https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63124712-the-long-shot
“My most preferred world vis the public sector for the rest of my life is I occasionally send them paperwork and money and they process that paperwork efficiently”
I think that there is a nuanced discourse to be made about tech and power, but a comment field is likely not the place to do it.
I will note that tech has no small amount of power, that traditional power centers are not uniformly thrilled about that, and that tech’s response to that has not been to stop doing the things that make tech powerful, like e.g. building things people find useful, getting them to use those things, and exercising responsible discretion as to decisions made about how those things should interface with broader society.
Speaking only for myself, for most of my life, I did not want power and (mostly) do not want power. There was a brief period during which the prevailing allocation of power between duly constituted authorities and myself was actively killing people, and during that period my duty was clear. My most preferred world vis the public sector for the rest of my life is I occasionally send them paperwork and money and they process that paperwork efficiently. There are other potential future worlds; I predict I would enjoy them much less.
Just finished this book by Kate Bingham, a venture capitalist who was head of the UK Vaccine Task Force which invested and got companies to build their supply chains in the country, then was crucified by the media for her efforts. Similar themes to you—gov naivety, lack of technical knowledge, obsession with process over outcome, the optics over the details. I recommend it https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63124712-the-long-shot
Thank you!
“My most preferred world vis the public sector for the rest of my life is I occasionally send them paperwork and money and they process that paperwork efficiently”
This sounds very Stripe-y to me!