The "Moral Bankruptcy" of Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz?

- Silicon Valley, once a liberal stronghold, sees a growing number of tech investors supporting Trump for the 2024 election. - Prominent figures like Elon Musk, Marc Andreessen, and Keith Rabois have publicly endorsed Trump, citing dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party's policies. - The shift is driven by both ideological and commercial reasons, including opposition to Biden's tax plans and regulatory measures. - Despite this trend, the majority of Big Tech leaders and donations still favor the Democratic Party. - The support for Trump reflects broader national political divides and a strategic bet on his potential victory. Source: FT

- Vance appeals to Thiel to 'get off the sidelines' and support Trump's White House bid - Trump's running mate advocates for breaking up Google, citing its size and power - Comments suggest potential tough antitrust stance in a Trump-Vance administration - Vance differentiates between big and small tech companies on regulation - He addresses concerns about deficit, globalization, and US-China trade relations Source: [Financial Times](https://www.ft.com/content/52a7c7b8-945c-4357-af36-cea77645b164)

- Just two of OpenAI’s 11 founding team members remain active, following a series of departures after a boardroom coup against CEO Sam Altman in November. - Three co-founders have left this year, including John Schulman, who joined rival Anthropic, and Greg Brockman, who announced an extended leave. - The high turnover rate, especially among senior figures, has raised questions about the $86bn company's direction amid fierce competition from Google and Anthropic. - Some founders have joined rivals or started their own AI companies, while Elon Musk, a former member, has become a vocal critic. - OpenAI had an unusually large founding team to build an AI supergroup, but recent events have significantly thinned their ranks. Source: [Financial Times](https://www.ft.com/content/638f67f7-5375-47fc-b3a7-af7c9e05b9e0)

Are they really great entrepreneurs or do they just know how to game the VC funding system, sell off their equity to generate wealth for themselves and don't possess the empathy to care about the many impressionable young people who devote nights and weekends for their startups and then are supposed to take the hit when funders ask "What about corporate profitability?"

- Former President Donald Trump has chosen Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate for the 2024 election. - Vance, known for his memoir 'Hillbilly Elegy,' was a venture capitalist before his Senate career, working at Mithril Capital and Revolution. - At Revolution, Vance helped launch Rise of the Rest, investing in startups outside major tech hubs, and led deals into companies like Aatmunn and AppHarvest. - Vance later founded Narya Capital, focusing on underserved U.S. areas, with backing from notable investors like Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen. - After winning his Senate race, Vance stepped back from Narya, which is now managed by co-founder Colin Greenspon. Source: Techcrunch

● "70-Hour Workweeks and Peanuts" - It's Not Just "How Markets Work" Claiming that grueling work hours and low wages are intrinsic to free markets oversimplifies a complex issue. Capitalism should mean fair exchange, not exploitation. ● "Founders' Fortunes vs. Employee Pennies" - Rethinking Entrepreneurial Rewards Rewarding risk is valid, but amassing vast fortunes by underpaying employees raises ethical questions. Capitalism should be about equitable rewards, not just personal gain. ●"Don't Blame, Analyze the System" - Seeking Systemic Improvement Critiquing capitalism isn't a personal attack; it's about refining the system. Understanding its flaws allows us to make it fairer for everyone. ●"Critique, Don't Opt Out" - Working Towards a Better Capitalism Suggesting one should avoid capitalism if they criticize it oversimplifies the issue. Critique is a call for reform, not rejection. It's about making capitalism more equitable, not abandoning it. No offense to the author, but the excessive toxicity that some folks spread across social media, be it on Twitter or LinkedIn, with others blindly hopping on board, really highlights how we sometimes let our critical thinking slide.