"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg E101: Wokeism & Class w/ David Sacks, Trump’s AI Czar [Upstream Archive]
Dec 7, 2024
David Sacks, an entrepreneur and investor known for his work at PayPal and his role as Trump’s AI czar, dives into the shifting landscape of Silicon Valley's political culture. He discusses the troubling rise of censorship and wokeism, particularly its implications for free speech. The dialogue uncovers the widening class divide influenced by these ideologies and evaluates how powerful entities manipulate discourse to maintain control. Sacks also critiques the monopolistic practices in tech and emphasizes the need for accountability in corporate leadership.
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Shift in Free Speech Values
- Silicon Valley's shift towards censorship contradicts its initial free speech values.
- PayPal's deplatforming and demonetization efforts are particularly concerning.
The Role of ADL and SPLC
- Organizations like the ADL and SPLC, originally focused on combating discrimination, have adopted partisan agendas.
- Their involvement in creating platform blacklists raises concerns about impartiality.
Tech Censorship as Harm Prevention
- Tech companies' censorship practices are often justified as preventing harm.
- This justification is used to restrict speech and control the public debate.