“More broadly, the righteousness with which Thiel acted, and with which many on Twitter reacted, combined with a seeming lack of obliviousness to how this might look to the outside world, very much reconfirmed fears I have voiced repeatedly that the tech industry is headed for a regulatory disaster of its own making. Here's the deal: the tech industry is winning. Internet economics have destroyed the journalism industry, they are destroying the transportation and hospitality industries, and I still think we are only in the beginning of a fundamental reordering of business and the economy. Moreover, I think these changes will, on balance and in the long run, be a huge positive for humanity generally and the United States in particular. The short to medium-term, though, will be wrenching, and it would be nice if the tech industry acted with a bit more grace and humility and a with a bit less certainty about its own righteousness and superiority; success, particularly when ascribed entirely to one's own capabilities, inevitably breeds contempt.”
More from Ben Thompson
“Advertising can augment a publisher, but it’s hard to believe it can support one, even one…”
“Spotify is an impressive product and company, and CEO Daniel Ek and team deserve credit…”
“If you raise the floor of competence, you inevitably lower the ceiling of achievement.”
“And yet, right there in the first two paragraphs, are two Trump statements that should be…”