The tech antitrust hearings start this week are going to be interesting to watch for sure. Like Ben, John, and I think it’s hilarious to think back to 2001 when Microsoft was the one in the hot seat, but this time around they aren’t even in the room. And no its not because Microsoft is any less massive today, its just that they have figured out how to convince the world that they dont exist.
I also really liked the point that John made about how different the anti-trust arguments are for the big four are completely different. Really makes you wonder how this thing is going to play out this Wednesday. Are all 4 CEOS in the room at the same time? How long is this conversation? Is this likely the opening kickoff of a really really long game? Are the follow ups already in the works?
I’ve seen a few of these and the most striking thing for me is how little many of these representatives seem to understand about the issues they are litigating. Sure some of them look good on camera but do they really have a clue what they are talking about? And even if they do are we sure they know it so well that we want them making the rules the rest of us have to play by? I guess that’s what’s so cyincal about libertarianism, its almost like agnosticism. There’s no way that people could ever run a government well AND most people are smarter individually than they ever are in these large groups. So we should defer to our individual judgement as much as we possibly can. The places where we consciously defer to group think do exist, but they are the exceptions to rule.
I guess thats really the main axis on which the political parties in this country differ: how and when should we let the group overrule the individual. The more often you want to do it the more liberal you are, the less the more conservative
Going to stop now so I don’t give myself another headache. Last night I couldn’t fall asleep until around 2am thanks to the pounding in my head. But I’m more motivated than ever to keep rolling.