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Reflections on Palantir

(nabeelqu.substack.com)
479 points freditup | 6 comments | 16 Oct 24 02:18 UTC | HN request time: 0.684s | source | bottom
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asdasdsddd ◴[16 Oct 24 23:32 UTC] No.41864951[source]▶
I worked there in the weird era. A couple things.

1. As per usual, the things that make palantir well known not even close to being the most dubious things.

2. I agree that the rank and file of palantir is no different from typical sv talent.

3. The services -> product transition was cool, I didn't weigh it as much as should've, but I did purchase fomo insurance after they ipo'd

4. The shadow hierarchy was so bad, it's impossible to figure out who you actually needed to talk to.

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avmich ◴[16 Oct 24 23:56 UTC] No.41865111[source]▶
It would also be interesting to hear thoughts on the company of somebody like Cory Doctorow.

Edit: aha, found. https://doctorow.medium.com/how-palantir-will-steal-the-nhs-...

"Palantir is one of the most sinister companies on the global stage, a company whose pitch is to sell humans rights abuses as a service. The customers for this turnkey service include America’s most corrupt police departments, who use Palantir’s products to monitor protest movements.

Palantir’s clients also include the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal agency who rely on Palantir’s products for their ethnic cleansing..."

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lmz[dead post] ◴[17 Oct 24 01:00 UTC] No.41865424[source]▶
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1. carom ◴[17 Oct 24 01:21 UTC] No.41865540[source]▶
It is because corporations benefit from exploitable labor and competition among workers. For this reason they promote a narrative that opposing illegal immigration is racist. The counter narrative would be that preventing it gives power to American workers (of all races) but no one seems to discuss that.
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2. mu53 ◴[17 Oct 24 06:03 UTC] No.41866841[source]▶
This is an obvious truth around immigration that makes me question the media's motivations.

Asylum applications are often contingent upon finding and keeping employment. ICE immigration prisons sell prison labor sold to state governments and corporations.

The public debate between "Immigration is a human right" and "Immigrants are criminals" is out of touch with the actual considerations motivating the laws and policies by US institutions.

3. pixelatedindex ◴[17 Oct 24 06:44 UTC] No.41867029[source]▶
I agree on both counts at a high level, but America always had cheap labor. It is what helps us have so much disposable income compared to other countries.
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4. munksbeer ◴[17 Oct 24 09:10 UTC] No.41867771[source]▶
>It is because corporations benefit from exploitable labor and competition among workers. For this reason they promote a narrative that opposing illegal immigration is racist.

This is just such an absurd take. How much reality do you have to suspend to believe that corporations around the globe have all zoned in on a policy of somehow propagating a narrative through public life about immigration so that they can exploit illegal immigration.

I know we're in the anti-capitalism, anti-big-corp zeitgeist, but come on.

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5. ab5tract ◴[17 Oct 24 18:05 UTC] No.41872059[source]▶
This is a bizarre take. Corporate towns and company stores and union leader assassinations are all a part of the history of cheap labor in the US.

None of those dynamics contribute to higher incomes for anyone aside from bosses and investors.

But maybe exploitation of cheap labor for personal gains is what you were referring to?

6. carom ◴[19 Oct 24 14:57 UTC] No.41888136[source]▶
I am very pro capitalism, but as a worker under capitalism it is very clear that immigration benefits corporations. Why do you think the impacts of immigration on American workers are not discussed by media? My conclusion is that discussing it does not benefit those who own those media companies. They are shareholders in other businesses, they employ people, and likely sit on the boards of companies that benefit from immigrant labor. It does not need to be a conspiracy, just self interest of those who control the narrative.