I am a life-long Silicon Valley tech worker. Early in my career, we believed that we were building great works to connect and empower humanity. We took progress for granted.
In the past decade, the Internet we built has been consolidated into walled gardens and echo chambers. The promise of connection has been perverted by billionaires to isolate us and monetize our alienation. The culmination of this effort is that people feel increasingly frightened and angry and ready to hear the siren song of Fascism, which promises happiness by punishing the weirdos and the foreigners.
On inauguration day, our tech leaders from Amazon, Google, Facebook, Tesla, Microsoft, and Apple all chipped in for premium photo opportunities to have their faces there at the coronation. It wasn’t enough to pay to influence the government, which is a practice as old as Democracy: our leaders wanted to be seen at the vanguard of a new era of Cruelty.
In March, Elon Musk made the program plain with his Nazi salute at CPAC. Shortly after, I stopped buying things on Amazon. I just couldn’t give my money to that crowd. And I try to be thoughtful where my money goes. When I talk to friends, there are two camps: folks who have also scaled back what they spend on the tech oligarchy, and folks who see the problem as so large that it is pointless for them to do anything.
My premise is simple: corporations follow the money. If we give them less money, they make different decisions. It also feels good! Every time I skip Amazon, I feel a little better. Every time I use the Kagi search engine, I feel a little freer. Every time I skip Facebook and instead text a friend to meet up for coffee, I feel more loved.
It isn’t enough for me and my family to cut back. I invite you to do what you can. So I’ve started this web site to work the problem through and help folks figure out how we can all be agents of change, leading happier lives, and collectively wield our influence for a better future. Let us build a better future together!
It’s Your Money — Give Them Less of It
Defund Oligarchy 