Marc Andreessen publishes ‘Techno-Optimist Manifesto’, names enemies including ‘ESG’, ‘Trust and Safety’

Marc Andreessen, the co-founder of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, on Monday published a defiant and provocative blog post he calls “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto.” Andreessen, known for his early role in shaping the internet as we know it, offers a full-throated defense of technology and capitalism, essentially arguing that technology is not the problem but the solution to most, if not all, of the world’s issues.

The Manifesto, resplendent with grandiose rhetoric and lofty ideals, functions as a sharp rebuke of critics who worry about the social, economic, and political impacts of rapid technological change — most recently fueled by the AI boom. His post champions the belief that technological progress, powered by free markets, will invariably lead to society’s betterment.

In the manifesto’s introduction, Andreessen writes, “We are being lied to. We are told that technology takes our jobs, reduces our wages, increases inequality, threatens our health, ruins the environment, degrades our society, corrupts our children, impairs our humanity, threatens our future, and is ever on the verge of ruining everything.” Andreessen later argues that the “only perpetual source of growth is technology.” 

Of course, Andreessen’s optimism about technology’s ability to solve all material problems overlooks the paradox of technological progress: that it often creates new problems even as it solves old ones. For instance, while the internal combustion engine revolutionized transportation, it also contributed to climate change. The internet, while connecting us in unprecedented ways, has also given rise to issues such as cybercrime and the erosion of privacy.

The Manifesto also sidesteps the critical question of accessibility. Who has access to the benefits of technology and who does not? The digital divide, both within nations and between them, is a glaring challenge in the path to Andreessen’s utopian vision.

A shocking list of enemies such as ‘ESG’, ‘Trust and Safety’ and ‘Tech Ethics’ teams

The manifesto takes an odd turn towards the end of the post when Andreessen vilifies concepts such as sustainability, social responsibility, and safety. These, according to Andreessen, are part of a “mass demoralization campaign” against progress. He goes as far as to single out “trust and safety” and “tech ethics” teams as enemies.

Critics like Tom Coates, an entrepreneur and technologist, expressed horror at Andreessen’s citations from a manifesto that advocated for war, militarism, and the destruction of feminism, museums, and libraries. He argues that the origins of Andreessen’s quotes should be scrutinized, as they perhaps expose a more troubling ideological underpinning to the Manifesto.

NBC reporter Ben Collins drew attention to the fact that Andreessen’s firm had recently pivoted towards military and defense contractor technology. This, in combination with the Manifesto’s aggressive stance against “social responsibility” and “tech ethics,” paints a picture of a venture capital firm unapologetically prioritizing technological advancement over societal and ethical considerations.

Finally, Becca Lewis, researcher at Stanford, took a more direct approach, questioning the convergence of socially reactionary politics with hyper-nationalism, a trend she hints may be reflected in Andreessen’s Manifesto.