John Siracusa“In a functioning democracy with actual rule of law, the best products have the opportunity to win. In an authoritarian system, the company that makes the dictator happy wins—and that’s it.” https://www.techdirt.com/2025/07/17/fascism-for-first-time-founders/
tylercheung@siracusa Masnick throwing down!
G Allen@tylercheung @siracusa Good article, needs much less of the f-word. It doesn't have nearly enough word-count to explain the current equivalent to f to those that don't already see it.
Anton Leuski@siracusa one more angle, for every authoritarian leader that may cut through the red tape there will a corruption system where you have to pay for access to the leader and to survive. There will be plenty of “it’s a nice startup you got over here, it’s a pity if something would happen to it” and the price will be high, fewer will be able to afford it.
Stefanie Janine Stölting@siracusa Shitty products liked by fascist aholes do have an advantage in dictatorships.
But in democracies it's not always the best product that wins.
Because don't tell me VHS was the best video cassette type, because technically it elwas the worst.
Don't tell me DOS was the best PC OS.
Don't tell me Windows was the best graphic interface.
I could go on all day with examples.
But in democracies it's not always the best product that wins.
Because don't tell me VHS was the best video cassette type, because technically it elwas the worst.
Don't tell me DOS was the best PC OS.
Don't tell me Windows was the best graphic interface.
I could go on all day with examples.
freediverx@sjstoelting @siracusa
I think you’re conflating democracy with capitalism.
Microsoft’s success in the 90s stemmed from a product (Windows) chosen by executive enterprise customers. Apple’s success in the 00s was built on a product (the iPhone) chosen by the end users. The latter was more “democratic.”
The two decades of enshittification that followed revealed the end game of capitalism and the predictable death of democracy as a result.
Toni Aittoniemi@siracusa ”Historical patterns are clear: authoritarian leaders use business elites to consolidate power, then systematically eliminate them as independent actors. The German industrialists who bankrolled Hitler’s rise thought they could control him. The Russian oligarchs who backed Putin in the early days thought they could maintain their influence through personal relationships.”
But I’m not sure MAGA will get it even when US industry leaders start falling out of windows. 🤔
@siracusa
Does anyone still think that tech entrepreneurs and VCs actually care about innovation (real or imagined) beyond its potential for amassing wealth and power?
Does anyone still think that tech entrepreneurs and VCs actually care about innovation (real or imagined) beyond its potential for amassing wealth and power?