rant · moment 11 of 17

Silicon Valley Paternalism and the Hack-and-Leak Rationale

from Christmas in Nantucket | The Tim Dillon Show #325 · #325

3 min

Tim theorizes about the mindset of Twitter's California-based trust and safety staff, comparing their paternalistic censorship instincts to a parent covering a kid's eyes from porn ads.

In this bit8 moments
  • Twitter and Silicon Valley figures suppressed the laptop story because they didn't want Trump to win, according to people Tim spoke with in Northern California.
  • Tech workers are eggheads who've lived their entire lives online, formed all their relationships there, and believe everything has a justification in their own minds.
  • Tim argues the real rationale was that releasing the laptop story could prevent Biden from winning the presidency, not concern about foreign hack-and-leak operations.
  • Everyone blames Russia for WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning, and Snowden, treating all leakers as part of a foreign intelligence campaign.
  • The Twitter decision had paternalistic, student council president energy—like a parent covering a child's eyes from strip club ads in 1990s New York City.
  • Tim struggles with Vijaya Gadde's name because it sounds like Sanjaya and vagina combined.
  • These Silicon Valley figures don't want people making their own choices, treating users like children who need protection.
  • Elon Musk had to remove Kanye from Twitter after his Hitler remarks.
Mentioned here

Kanye WestVijaya GaddeAlex JonesRussiaTwitterElon MuskJulian AssangeEdward SnowdenJoe BidenWikiLeaksChelsea ManningBarrett BrownDonald Trump

All 17 moments in this episode →