In a corrupt and authoritarian country, it is common to have officials busted on "corruption" or "embezzlement" charges. And yet most people know they are actually not jailed for the crimes they got charged for, because there are more than enough people to fill all the prisons for breaking the exact same laws they are accused of breaking. They knew the only reason these people got jailed is because they lost some kind of power struggle within the administration, and corruption is just a convenient lie those who prevailed tell you to keep you comfortable.

You never see the "no politics please thk u" crowd when it is about protests in Iran, Chinese oppression in Hong Kong, Russian aggression on Europe or hell, when people were literally running a political campaign the EU to stop killing games. You only see people flagging political submissions when it is a particular kind of politics - just like you only see corrupt officials jailed when they are a certain kind of officials.

Connect the dots, make your own conclusions.

> Most people aren’t here for political topics.

Or rather, most people aren’t here to have their preconceived notions challenged by reality.

Politics is a nebulous term for topics that affect a large number of the population. Tech intersects with politics all the time and deserves good faith discussion.

There is always going to be an intersection between tech and politics. This convo is no different than talking about Section 230, H1B visas or using vision models to sexualize people or distort the truth.

Most people aren’t here to be faced with anything that challenges the status quo, you mean. They don’t want to read anything uncomfortable.

They should be aware of how tech is being used in political games though...

Preserving the status quo is a political position.

Comments like this remind me of those guys who wouldn't stop working, in the twin towers. Just didn't want to get out of their zone.

It gets down to the definition of political which is basically anything that might have a human cost, including to the people here. I have many coworkers having to upend their lives, some can’t currently leave the country. This is not worthy of discussion, but an esoteric library update is. Paul Graham posts are not political topics for some reason, but H1B people is.

Technology, technology leaders, and technology companies are literally driving politics, buying elections, driving the whole US economy.

Saying what “political” topics are IS political - and it’s decidedly a right wing position. Only those with the powers protecting them get to avoid politics.

There is no apolitical topics. There's just politics you agree with and politics you don't agree with.

German pastor Martin Niemöller:

"First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

When the computer code many of us are working on is directly shaping that politics I think that we should talk about it and stop hiding behind the bush.

Yep. They’re here to bury their head in the sand and keep up to date with the latest tech trends like the good little worker bees they are.