undefined | Better HN

0 pointsginko5y ago0 comments

Zuckerberg has the charisma of a fish though.

0 comments

I don't know. Fish can be pretty cute and charming.

You don't need charisma when you can insert yourself into people's notifications, Facebook and Instagram feeds, have a near-live overview of the majority of the voting population, know their political bias, cultural heritage, and much, much more.

Trasmatta5y ago

Do you believe that Zuckerberg would be allowed to use Facebook to push his presidential campaign? I feel like he would have to divest himself of the company entirely first. Then again, that's maybe too much of an expectation, given our current political situation.

donogh5y ago

He controls 57.9% of the voting shares[1] and, historically, hasn't exactly been a paragon of virtue.

[1] https://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/082216/top-9-...

windthrown5y ago

You'd think so...but I also thought it would be politically unpalatable for Trump to refuse to divest from his business.

And once in office, the emoluments clause of the constitution has been shown to be pretty toothless.

1 more reply

Trasmatta5y ago

Yeah, I keep seeing the "well, Trump won!" argument anytime somebody suggests that a certain person wouldn't win an election. But that ignores Trump's unique characteristics that allowed him to gain a significant and loyal following.

I feel like Zuckerberg trying to run would be a Mike Bloomberg situation. Remember when that happened?

vb6sp65y ago

1) Bloomberg doesn't control facebook

2) Bloomberg ran as a democrat

Imagine a world where you get your news from Fox News and then go to a conservative controlled facebook. He would be unstoppable.

adjkant5y ago

Zuckerberg couldn't run as anything but a democrat either. Cambridge Analytica and the like ensured that, but his beliefs (as far as he has shown any) are leaning democrat with libertarian tendencies at best. His lack of moral spine is compatible with both parties (not equating said parties to be clear).

pstuart5y ago

Trump's unique characteristics were antithetical to the role of POTUS. Now cult leader, on the other hand...

dang5y ago

Please don't take HN threads into partisan flamewar. It leads nowhere good, as manifested below.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Please see https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23407848 also, because that was an even worse step.

war10255y ago

The only thing about Trump that is antithetical to the role of POTUS, at least in the coastal elite / media sense, is that he ran as a Republican.

3 more replies

mcculley5y ago

What if one had the money to hire a bunch of people who understand why Trump one and had no moral code? Bloomberg had the money. He just wasn't enough of an asshole to appeal to the US voter.

adjkant5y ago

> He just wasn't enough of an asshole to appeal to the US voter.

Based on his marketing tactics I'm inclined to disagree there. IMO he also lacked the charisma that Zuckerberg would struggle with.

1 more reply

youeseh5y ago

Charisma can be learned.

ardy425y ago

> Charisma can be learned.

Did Hillary Clinton learn it? Of all the people in the world, she's probably the one who had the most incentive and motivation to "learn" charisma, if it was possible.

luckylion5y ago

I always got the impression from her public persona that she thought she didn't need charisma, that she had "earned it", and that the power she had accrued over the years should be enough to deliver the victory to her.

1 more reply

overgard5y ago

I think it's possible to learn it, but a lot of charisma comes from empathy and focus on others. Awkward people can be very charismatic if they give the vibe they care about you. True selflessness isn't something most politicians are really known for..

the-dude5y ago

And opportunity. She is married to charisma.

pretendscholar5y ago

One of the harder things to learn because it isn't formulaic. You can't copy someone else's mannerisms outright you have to find your own style.

cafard5y ago

Richard Nixon would beg to differ.

setpatchaddress5y ago

`[citation needed]`

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

foobiekr5y ago

I don't know. Fish can be pretty cute and charming.

Etheryte5y ago

Trasmatta5y ago

donogh5y ago

He controls 57.9% of the voting shares[1] and, historically, hasn't exactly been a paragon of virtue.

[1] https://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/082216/top-9-...

windthrown5y ago

You'd think so...but I also thought it would be politically unpalatable for Trump to refuse to divest from his business.

And once in office, the emoluments clause of the constitution has been shown to be pretty toothless.

1 more reply

Trasmatta5y ago

I feel like Zuckerberg trying to run would be a Mike Bloomberg situation. Remember when that happened?

vb6sp65y ago

1) Bloomberg doesn't control facebook

2) Bloomberg ran as a democrat

Imagine a world where you get your news from Fox News and then go to a conservative controlled facebook. He would be unstoppable.

adjkant5y ago

pstuart5y ago

Trump's unique characteristics were antithetical to the role of POTUS. Now cult leader, on the other hand...

dang5y ago

Please don't take HN threads into partisan flamewar. It leads nowhere good, as manifested below.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Please see https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23407848 also, because that was an even worse step.

war10255y ago

The only thing about Trump that is antithetical to the role of POTUS, at least in the coastal elite / media sense, is that he ran as a Republican.

3 more replies

mcculley5y ago

What if one had the money to hire a bunch of people who understand why Trump one and had no moral code? Bloomberg had the money. He just wasn't enough of an asshole to appeal to the US voter.

adjkant5y ago

> He just wasn't enough of an asshole to appeal to the US voter.

Based on his marketing tactics I'm inclined to disagree there. IMO he also lacked the charisma that Zuckerberg would struggle with.

1 more reply

youeseh5y ago

Charisma can be learned.

ardy425y ago

> Charisma can be learned.

Did Hillary Clinton learn it? Of all the people in the world, she's probably the one who had the most incentive and motivation to "learn" charisma, if it was possible.

luckylion5y ago

1 more reply

overgard5y ago

the-dude5y ago

And opportunity. She is married to charisma.

pretendscholar5y ago

One of the harder things to learn because it isn't formulaic. You can't copy someone else's mannerisms outright you have to find your own style.

cafard5y ago

Richard Nixon would beg to differ.

setpatchaddress5y ago

`[citation needed]`

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse