Mitchell HashimotoNov 6
It’s interesting being in a financial class now where I see people calling for my death daily on social media (not me specifically but me as a category of people). I’m not defending bad people, I don’t think I’m one of them on balance, I’m just making a narrow comment where it’s interesting to wake up and think “oh look, someone I had dinner with a dozen times calling for my death.”
Show threadflpvskNov 6

@mitchellh you know there are other ways of "downgrading" your financial class, right?

when people say billionaires shouldn't exist, they are advocating for equality, not death.

most of them are, at least.

Show threadMitchell HashimotoNov 6

@flpvsk I’m talking about literal toots that they should “die”. Literal death.

In any case, I’m also working on downgrading too :). Weve already donated around $50M in total (zero political outlets, only social good with small cutout for tech projects). It’s surprisingly hard to give away money. We’re doing our best!

Show threadrakooNov 7
@flpvsk @mitchellh

if it's so hard to give people money, let me give you a few ways to do it:

- buy houses, condos, buildings and give it to people
- buy factories, bookshops, cafes, and give them to the employees
- buy newspapers, tv channels and give them to the employees
- buy the buildings where small shops are housed and give them to the employees
- buy stocks and give them to the companies' employees

As a billionaire you know this, your money is not in cash, it's in capital-producing infrastructure. Give that infrastructure to those who work it and produce actual value.
Show threadMitchell HashimotoNov 7
@rakoo @flpvsk No, most of my money is in a charitable fund, and that can only give via tax exempt organizations.
Show threadrakooNov 7
@mitchellh @flpvsk so you're not really willing to give, just to have the appearance of someone who gives but actually want to keep the wealth, avoid taxes and not fundamentally change anything. Standard millionaire/billionaire procedure. The bourgeois class *really* needs to go extinct.
Show threadMitchell HashimotoNov 7

@rakoo @flpvsk This is not what I said. The money is in a charity, it legally cannot be given except to tax exempt orgs. That’s the law. I also can’t use any of the money for personal use, either!

It doesn’t change or save me any taxes.

I paid 40% in taxes and transferred other money to the charity POST TAX exactly so I’m not the B that plays tax games. And I’m working hard every week to find and disburse grants where I can.

Please don’t twist words.

Show threadrakoo
@mitchellh @flpvsk

Yes, but why is the money in a fund ? Did you have no choice in it ? Was it absolutely impossible tg use that money in any other way ?

What is this fund ? Who takes decisions ? How is its governance ? Where does the money go ? What does it accomplish ?

If you really want to help, you can. A charity is not it.
Nov 7 at 3:49pmWeb
Show threadLi ~ Crystal SystemNov 10

@rakoo @mitchellh @flpvsk for what its worth, alot of people seem to think charities help people at the very least? despite their help being conditional as fuck and dependant on a bunch of bullshit, and state approval and .. fff

but i also feel like this is a kinda weird ass thing to do tbh

Show threadrakooNov 10
@Li @mitchellh @flpvsk The whole concept of charity is problematic: I'm rich, you're poor, your life is shitty, I'm going to give you a little something to make your life a little bit less shitty. But charity explicitly doesn't go beyond that. It doesn't ask why I'm rich and you're poor, it doesn't ask how we could change that completely such that your life isn't shitty to begin with. It doesn't question the status quo, it maintains it *but* it makes me look and feel good. It's very important that the hierarchy between our lives remains.

A more useful action is not charity. Teach a man to fish and all: that's solidarity, mutual aid, building a society together and all that.
Show threadLi ~ Crystal SystemNov 10

@rakoo @mitchellh @flpvsk i dont disagree with that;^^

though i would add that sometimes there is a time and place for just giving the man a fish, if they have no food and such; (but like dont make it conditional and shit) its like a 'quick fix'; but also do make sure to try teach them how to fish if their interested too .. and such, (but you probably already knew that ..)

my point is more just that *most people* just view charity as a generally "positive" or 'kind' thing, and either arent aware of or don't consider the issues that they have. (and in some cases, that they actually actively cause harm, like ala autism speaks) and was somewhat speculating that might be why.

i am a bit curious as to what lead them to decide to put all their funds into this too though ..