In America, neoliberalism with classical social liberalism is considered to be “left wing”. We are so embedded in capitalism in the Western world we have forgotten what actually leftist ideals are.
This is the best comment of the bunch, I think. Judging by the vote tally and engagement on my original response, you’re spot-on that people are so Capitalism-drunk that they cannot see the broader ideological planes around them.
There are good leftists who do big tech work (the main detraction of the HN crowd who don’t want to feel guilty over their salaries), it’s just that none of the ones I know are active in cesspools like these. They’re too busy living in a modest home and spending their excesses on people’s rent, bills, necessities, and generally uplifting others since they no longer need anything themselves. My interaction with the HN crowd is that most would balk at the idea of using their funds to support others’ fundamental necessities, and yet that is far more leftist than anything any SV profiteer has previously pushed for.
