Founder here. Just now seeing this made it to HN yesterday.
Yes, you're right: it's political. The whole thing is deeply political. I worked in tech in SF from 2010–2020 and one of the big mistakes of the era, IMO, was pretending that certain topics weren't political. Or that they were no longer political because of "progress."
In 2020 my wife and I moved to rural Appalachia, where her parents live, because they were excited to help with childcare. Without getting into the pros and cons of city vs. rural living, or blue vs. red culture, I can confidently report that many (most?) topics tech people consider non-political are all people here want to talk about——because here those topics are considered THE MOST IMPORTANT political questions of our times.
I don't think I'm saying anything you don't know. I guess I'll just reiterate: you're right, it's political. And I'll add: As it's always been.
FWIW, my hope with New Athens is to strike a new balance that's wild enough to cause hard-core partisans to pause and think, get everyone thinking from first principals again about big issues that got stuck in the culture war trap, and, at the very least, be transparent about what we're doing so that people can self-select in or out in good faith.
I'm glad you're overt about this. And, my opposition here is not because of any issues with delivery of welfare by faith based organisations, the days of juice church to get the bums lunch is long gone. My concern is the ability of the state welfare budget to be cut because statutory rights to aide are replaced by voluntarism and discretionary spend which can be withdrawn at will.
The fight for the welfare state was a long battle in the UK, across the depression and war. Thatcher would have unwound it even more if it hadn't been electoral suicide and the same is true in the US, albeit diluted.
I'm not trying to convince you of anything here, really I'm just pleased this is overt and conscious.
Honestly, I'm a huge supporter of large-scale immigration. It just has to be legal. And I'd prioritize 2-parent families above everyone else. I can tell you're being snarky and maybe think I'm some Ultra MAGA character (I'd characterize the project as slightly center-right), but personally I think immigration is a fascinating topic and a powerful tool for social good (if done above board).
Also, I know some people on the right really are racist, but in my personal experience that's primarily a left-wing narrative. Most right-leaning people I know are not against immigration, nor immigrants themselves, and are not racist. They just want people to follow the rules.
And you may be reluctant to believe this, but from my experience living in a very poor, very white region of America for the last five years, right-leaning people actually do care about rules for rules' sake. Occasionally "law and order" is a dog whistle for racism or another -ism...but usually it's just an echo of a strict upbringing and a high value placed on respecting authority figures. Which might not be your cup of tea, but that's usually what's going through peoples heads.
I mean this in all sincerarity, if you're having that reaction, I invite you to join the waitlist to move to the city.
I've come to believe that people are mean and dismissive online (as you just were) not because they, and you, are mean and dismissive people, but because at a fundamental level there's nothing to do on the internet. The few things we manage to do, or build, or change online are a whiff of shit on the breeze compared to the adventure, meaning, and risk of interacting with real people in physical reality.
You will benefit from moving to the city because building something in the real world with people you depend on, and who depend on you, will make you a better, happier human. Please consider it.
Thats political.
reply