Matt BlazeSep 19, 2024
God, the number of techbros here who are confident in their ability to resist targeted attacks from sophisticated national intelligence agencies is terrifying, but also explains a lot about why Silicon Valley is the way it is.
Show threadEleanor Saitta

@mattblaze
As someone who's unfortunately had to look at this professionally on behalf of people who didn't have half the money or resources they do, it's genuinely complicated. Like, yes, if they're willing to kill, a lot of your folks will die. But not all of them, and they aren't always, and in those probabilities etc. live many movements and peoples and the reverse — it Mossad wants to Mossad you, give up instantly, I honestly hate with a serious burning professional passion. There are no good answers to any of this, but telling people to never resist a state is just fellating the boot.

Again, not that you're doing this but argh nuance online etc etc

Sep 19, 2024 at 10:25pmWeb
Show threadMatt BlazeSep 19, 2024
@dymaxion the (successful) people I know who work against sophisticated national adversaries (in various capacities) are all - universally - remarkably humble about their own limitations.
Show threadEleanor SaittaSep 19, 2024

@mattblaze
Very much so. The goal is to statistically reduce the rate at which you lose. Winning is something that happens at another timescale entirely.

And yes, not those bros and their attitude at all. It's more that the folks in the industry who aren't those bros and also aren't the people who actually have to deal with the impact of these organizations do rather manage to paint a picture of abject hopelessness. A time and a place for every message, I guess.

Show threadMatt BlazeSep 19, 2024
@dymaxion “We can’t stop them, but we can make them work for it” is a useful model.
Show threadEleanor SaittaSep 19, 2024
@mattblaze
Very much so. And "what can we get done between not and when they stop us"
Show threadFilene TaylorSep 19, 2024
@dymaxion I'm definitely following you because I am just now being versed on all sorts of security structures I'd need to even start making things difficult. And also because I've got my eye on making a NGO or.. Five 😂🥲💖