Reason Vs. Breaking Points: Does Big Tech Do More Good Than Harm?

Reason's Robby Soave and Elizabeth Nolan Brown go head to head with Emily Jashinsky and Ryan Grim from Breaking Points in a thought-provoking debate about Big Tech.

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Reason Vs. Breaking Points: Does Big Tech Do More Good Than Harm?

Reason's Robby Soave and Elizabeth Nolan Brown square off with Breaking Points' Emily Jashinsky and Ryan Grim in a no-holds-barred debate over Big Tech. The Reason team argues that technology has dramatically improved everyday life—and that those benefits can't be ignored. Their opponents counter that Big Tech's power is inseparable from big government, and that the two can't be untangled.

 

Resolution: Big Tech does more good than harm.

Affirmative: Robby Soave and Elizabeth Nolan Brown

Negative: Emily Jashinsky and Ryan Grim

Moderator: Peter Suderman

 

0:00—Andrew Heaton's warmup

6:31—Opening statements

31:03—Moderator questions and debater discussion

53:47—All the debaters make their case using props

1:02:10—Audience questions

1:23:25—Closing statements

1:40:20—Final debate results

Comments

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

Outlaw the sun!

[MWAocdoc]

"Their opponents counter that Big Tech's power is inseparable from big government, and that the two can't be untangled."

I don't intend to listen to the whole thing, but this particular statement warrants this response: big tech's power is not inseperable from big government if we insist upon re-imposing limitations on the authority and scope of big government.

[Ersatz]

What happens when you wake up one day in the Chinese utopia of social credit and you cant travel or buy stuff... or even leave your apartment because your score doesnt harmonize with big brother?
Might you wish you had the choice to give up your smart phone to avoid that future?... because - I admit, its not here now, but - its coming.

For the present - in the western 'democracies' the verdict is - big tech is worth the cost. In the future, when its too late to go back in time and kill hitler Pandora... the answer will be - it wasnt worth it. And thats just the freedom side of things... not to mention the maladjusted personalities being created from a digital only upbringing.

Mea Culpa - I am privileged to be old and afluent enough that I can selfishly enjoy the current cost\benefit and will happily do so. I do mourn for the generation of sheep that will never know there was a time when your every action was not being judged in a way to compell your compliance.

[Uomo Del Ghiaccio]

The problem is not the TOOL, the problem is the people who use the TOOL in nefarious ways. In other words, the problem is with the feral federal government and their abuse of the TOOLS.

A shovel can be used to help dig a hole.
A hole can be dangerous if the hole is dug in the wrong place.
The problem is not the shovel, not the shovel manufacturer,
The problem is the idiot using the TOOL to dig the hole in a dangerous location.

We can't go back to life of our youth, and we all tend to remember an over glorified version of our history that is scrubbed free of or minimized the warts that we complained about at the time. It's a human superpower to cast out the bad memories from the past and focus on the bad of the present.

[Ersatz]

Agreed. I love the tech.. but the 'tools' in government will only and always use it for power and will then abuse that power. Look to the 1 minute mark... Starmer sells this as an anti-illegal immigrant sheep but then says the wolf part out loud.

Coming soon to an America near you!

[Ersatz]

dont get me wrong... I dont want to go back either but that future is coming. When it arrives we wont be better off than we are with tech AND what liberty exists now. If we could find a way to restrain Leviathan, maybe... and like I said - right now the answer is that tech makes things net better.

But then, I guess 'liberty' will be redefined with everything else... man, woman, vaccine, rights....
That will make the pill easier to swallow for most I suppose.

[Luxie]

I have several things to say, only few of them positive. 1st when you find yourself welcoming the sound of Sudermans voice and shoutiness (sp) you know what was broadcast prior was horrific. Please stop making us endure the Heaton warmups, We are lucky enough not to be in attendance live so we should be given this reprieve. I do thank him for reminding me why I never just go to a comedy club unless I know exactly the time and the performer I am going to see. 2nd I want to be grateful that Robbie and Elizabeth where there. Ryan is intolerable, you can tell he is just your average smug progressive bore, I will mention Genocide in my 1st sentence..... yawn.... Emily? I am surprised she didnt break into her "Not only am I pro life I am pro..... blah blah blah... " If not for Robbie and Elizabeth I would have just thought I was listening to some Bulwark nonsense. I appreciate the questioner at the end who basically stated She lives with normal people and not boring progressives that inhabit our cities now and life is good. Big Tech? Tech in autos has advanced that while riding my motorcycles on LA freeways and splitting lanes drivers are made aware that I am there and I no longer get cut off. When in my auto's they alert me that there is an object in my blind spot when I turn on my indicator.There simple big tech innovation. Took an Uber to a Xmas party last night. didnt get in an accident because I had a few cocktails. Progressives always ignore the ways we normal people (Capitalists) just try and live our day to day.

[03358de]

The Reason opponent Ryan went straight into an antisemitic rant to start. I guess it must be a hobby horse of his (don’t know anything about him) since it was utterly not germane. Ryan is so sure we’re headed for collapse, I suppose due to AI. He should grab an end of the world sign and parade on a street corner in Biblical costume since he was just that cartoonish.