[monktastic1]

> It seems impossible that so much talent and intelligence could fail to solve such obviously tractable problems

It's not that I think that Silicon Valley can solve the problem. It's really only that I think it's disingenuous to claim one is trying to help people if one is really only trying to shovel them out of sight, and that this chasm will ultimately be reflected in the outcome of any plan that results.

That said, I hope I am wrong about the protagonists of the story.

[Kalium]

I agree. It's quite likely that competent people who set out with ill intent will manage to achieve some ill.

This should not be confused for a belief that setting out with good intentions will yield good results. It's far, far harder to improve things than it is to make things worse. Social policy does not function on the "Law of Attraction".

[monktastic1]

I agree. I don't think it even has to go as far as ill will. Even run-of-the-mill selfishness bleeds deeply into purported attempts to help others.

Thus an essential part of helping anyone is: be sure that you're really doing it to _help them_. It's not sufficient by a long shot (as you rightly point out), but it is more or less necessary.

Thanks for the frank discussion.