Palantir employees are starting to wonder if they're the bad guys
by pavel_lishin on 4/23/2026, 5:30:05 PM
https://www.wired.com/story/palantir-employees-are-starting-to-wonder-if-theyre-the-bad-guys/
Comments
by: leonidasrup
Palantir employees should understand that they are not regular employees at a regular company. They are U.S. defense contractors at an U.S. defense company.<p>Also Palantir customers should understand that by buying Palantir services/products they are doing business with U.S. defense company.<p>I don't say that this is positive or negative, it just clarifies the relationships and it should set the expectations.
4/23/2026, 5:52:54 PM
by: hn_user82179
> “I’m curious why this had to be posted. Especially on the company account. On the practical level every time stuff like that gets posted it gets harder for us to sell the software outside of the US (for sure in the current political climate), and I doubt we need this in the US?” wrote one frustrated employee. The message received more than 50 “+1” emojis.<p>> “Wether [sic] we acknowledge it or not, this impacts us all personally,” another worker wrote on Monday. “I’ve already had multiple friends reach out and ask what the hell did we post.” This message received nearly two dozen “+1” emoji reactions.<p>> “Yeah it turns out that short-form summaries of the book’s long-form ideas are easy to misrepresent. It’s like we taped a ‘kick me’ sign on our own backs,” a third worker wrote. “I hope no one who decided to put this out is surprised that we are, in fact, getting kicked.”<p>entirely possible they're phrasing their concerns on the corporate slack to be 'pro-company' so they don't worry about getting fired for their views but it doesn't actually sound like they're wondering anything, they're just bothered that it's being brought to light.
4/23/2026, 7:19:33 PM
by: HaloZero
If you haven't listened/read it, I think the Ezra Klein interview with Alex Bores (who formerly worked at Palantir) and how he talks about how it was in 2014 vs now.<p>It's also insane that a PAC campaigning against Bores is funded by current Palantir employee Lonsdale. Their critical ads literally criticize him for working for Palantir.<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-alex-bores.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/opinion/ezra-klein-podcas...</a>
4/23/2026, 7:22:03 PM
by: Ritewut
Everyone in this industry should be required to read Careless People by Sara Wynn-Williams about her tenure at Facebook. Not because the book is about how evil Meta/Facebook is as a company but because you get to see the lengths people go to mentally convince themselves they are the good guy. Repeatedly in the book she tries to assure herself she's making the world better and that there's actually an ethical, positive company inside Facebook and she just had to navigate the politics to make it known despite all evidence to the contrary.
4/23/2026, 6:48:10 PM
by: jimmar
Seems analogous to employees of a missile manufacturer being upset that their missiles were used for their intended purpose.
4/23/2026, 6:02:56 PM
by: Devasta
This is trying to manage their personal image; they know exactly what they are and what they do.<p>They are just annoyed Karp is breaking Kayfabe
4/23/2026, 8:24:43 PM
by: _-_-__-_-_-
<a href="https://archive.is/veTal" rel="nofollow">https://archive.is/veTal</a>
4/23/2026, 7:26:30 PM
by: cchrist
Yea, the same innovations that enable freedom can also be used for control. What else is new?
4/23/2026, 7:54:55 PM
by: thih9
The title is likely a reference to a sketch:<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_We_the_Baddies%3F" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_We_the_Baddies%3F</a><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToKcmnrE5oY" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToKcmnrE5oY</a><p>Although it could be unintentional - the phrase is mainstream now and not hard to produce independently either.
4/23/2026, 7:40:50 PM
by: palmotea
> ...about working for a company named after J. R. R. Tolkien’s corrupting all-seeing orb.<p>Wasn't the the problem that Sauron had one so he could corrupt the other users <i>through</i> the orb, but the orb itself was not corrupting?
4/23/2026, 6:04:58 PM
by: deeg
While I believe it's good that we call it out, there will always be enough people willing to do evil for money. It'll have to be shut down from the outside and that's where our focus should be.
4/23/2026, 7:44:32 PM
by: dcchambers
The Department of Defense is now the Department of War. They've made their goals clear.<p>You are not in defense contracting. You are in the business of war contracting.<p>Take from that what you will.
4/23/2026, 8:19:58 PM
by: vcryan
Reminds me of the day I realized that, during my lifetime, my country, the US, caused the death of 1M Iraqis -- for no apparent reason.
4/23/2026, 8:19:14 PM
by: chromacity
I think this is a weird side effect of how we portray evil corporations in fiction and in journalism. We imagine that everyone working there is a moustache-twirling villain. And then we get a job at Meta or Flock or Palantir, look around, and don't see any moustache-twirling villains. There's no one saying "ha ha, we should hurt people just for fun". So, it must be that we're the good guys.<p>Even if some of the outcomes seem reprehensible, it's not <i>really</i> evil because we're good people. We do it in a responsible and caring way. We're truly sorry that your grandma is now hooked up on endless AI-generated slop, but shouldn't the media be talking about all the other grandmas whose lives are enriched by our AI? We have strict safety rules for the types of cryptocurrency ads that can target the elderly, too.
4/23/2026, 6:06:48 PM
by: mrhottakes
Taking a job at Spy Orbs For Evil Wizards Inc., reading the CEO's addled technofascist manifesto, and wondering if I'm the bad guy
4/23/2026, 7:16:51 PM
by: zawaideh
No need to wonder
4/23/2026, 5:47:49 PM
by: nohell
<a href="https://archive.ph/9UjjI" rel="nofollow">https://archive.ph/9UjjI</a>
4/23/2026, 5:56:15 PM
by: BugsJustFindMe
Only "starting" to wonder does not speak well of Palantir employees.
4/23/2026, 6:46:16 PM
by: ethagnawl
I look forward to all of these comments being Hoovered into their autonomous surveillance machine in short order.<p>Also, yes, they are.
4/23/2026, 6:04:07 PM
by: rconti
Weird. I worked near a Palantir office in 2017 and I remember thinking it would be "morally challenging" to work there. 9 years later, it's just becoming apparent?
4/23/2026, 6:22:23 PM
by: groos
Yes. The answer is yes.
4/23/2026, 6:52:12 PM
by: herrwolfe
Starting???
4/23/2026, 7:50:07 PM
by: swader999
Thought it was an onion article at first glance.
4/23/2026, 6:20:51 PM
by: mirrorlogic
Nerds are ruining this great nation.
4/23/2026, 7:51:30 PM
by: jeffrallen
I talked with a friend there around 2018 and he dissuaded me from applying, then quit a few months later. He already knew...
4/23/2026, 7:56:55 PM
by: Everhusk
Yes, the answer is yes they are.
4/23/2026, 7:19:48 PM
by: herrwolfe
Starting?!
4/23/2026, 7:50:12 PM
by: seydor
Wired does sanewashing now?
4/23/2026, 7:11:34 PM
by:
4/23/2026, 7:45:14 PM
by: ed_balls
Palantir delenda est
4/23/2026, 5:57:48 PM
by: uoaei
I remember seeing postings for "Forward Deployed Engineers" and thinking that this naming convention targets folks who don't like to work out but still have a military fetish and want to feel important.<p>It's self-aggrandizing egos all the way down/up (to Alex Karp).
4/23/2026, 6:51:50 PM
by: josefritzishere
To quote the Declaration of Independence "...all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
4/23/2026, 7:21:17 PM
by: soVeryTired
The company is named after the evil telepathic orbs from lord of the rings. Wasn't that the first clue that everything might not be hunky dory?
4/23/2026, 8:08:33 PM
by: hd4
It was always really obvious but that recent full-throated-fascist manifesto has left no doubt. One thing Palantir have going for them is this deranged movie-villain-style transparency about their intentions, they don't even care about hiding it.
4/23/2026, 6:26:19 PM
by: Insanity
'no shit sherlock' comes to mind.
4/23/2026, 6:31:44 PM
by: QuercusMax
For a company supposedly full of smart people they sure do work hard to turn their brains off
4/23/2026, 5:51:48 PM
by: BrenBarn
Another case where "starting" is the ha-ha-sob part. There's never been anything good about Palantir.
4/23/2026, 7:27:56 PM
by: waffletower
The company also chose to name itself after a fantasy scrying device corrupted by evil. There might be an ounce of self-fulfilling prophecy here.
4/23/2026, 6:15:24 PM
by: shevy-java
Starting to wonder?<p>Everyone know what Palantir was. The name is a dead-give-away.<p>I think it is really time that the superrich are downsized. Certain companies that are working against the people also need to be removed. Key considerations in any democracy need to be consistent. Palantir (and others) create inconsistencies. Granted, none of this will be fixed while the orange king is having his daily rage-fits, but sooner or later this is an inter-generational problem, no matter which puppet is taking over.
4/23/2026, 6:14:55 PM
by: Ancalagon
Honestly doesn't even look like they pay that well compared to other major tech companies.<p>Like why justify it if it economically isn't even that advantageous? Ya'll are laughable.
4/23/2026, 6:53:00 PM
by: myth_drannon
Palantir must be working on something amazing if they are constantly assaulted by Iranian/Chinese bots,Left fascists,"but GenOcide in HAZA" and others. Curiously not Boieng, not drone companies, but Palantir.<p>Time to load up on Palantir stocks?
4/23/2026, 7:09:03 PM
by: michaelsshaw
Little Eichmanns unable to feel good about themselves now that there's so much bad press? They should've known, in fact, most of them DID know about who they work for and what they do. They just can't handle the pressure. Name, shame and move on, fellas. No words worth listening to from Palantir employees.
4/23/2026, 7:19:26 PM
by: sjsdaiuasgdia
Alex Karp is a fascist. The whole company should be ended.
4/23/2026, 5:56:35 PM
by: gigatexal
now? what took them so long??
4/23/2026, 5:47:17 PM
by: howmayiannoyyou
Defending the United States of America is never the wrong move.<p>We're not perfect. We've done bad. But, you won't find another nation on earth or in history who has contributed as much to global progress, stability and well-being.<p>Palantir is valuable member of our defense community. The hate is a sign they are successful, and som eof that hate is bought and paid for by foreign actors - including likely here on HN.
4/23/2026, 7:06:43 PM
by: jmyeet
When your product is used by a military occupation to target and kill civilians and their families [1][2], it's kind of shocking that there's any doubt. But as Upton Sinclair said:<p>> “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”<p>I would go further and argue that Palantir employees are just as valid military targets as occupation soldiers are.<p>[1]: <a href="https://www.business-humanrights.org/es/%C3%BAltimas-noticias/palantir-allegedly-enables-israels-ai-targeting-amid-israels-war-in-gaza-raising-concerns-over-war-crimes/" rel="nofollow">https://www.business-humanrights.org/es/%C3%BAltimas-noticia...</a><p>[2]: <a href="https://www.972mag.com/lavender-ai-israeli-army-gaza/" rel="nofollow">https://www.972mag.com/lavender-ai-israeli-army-gaza/</a>
4/23/2026, 6:33:39 PM
by: Bengalilol
[dead]
4/23/2026, 7:48:39 PM
by: jeffwask
A real "Are we the baddies?" moment for them
4/23/2026, 5:49:06 PM
by: mdni007
[flagged]
4/23/2026, 6:25:30 PM
by: PunchyHamster
[flagged]
4/23/2026, 7:10:23 PM
by: mirrorlogic
Nerds that did not get love in high school or college are ruining America.
4/23/2026, 7:52:03 PM
by: ai-x
Classic, "Find 5 people in a 1000+ organization" and prepare hit piece yellow-journalism that is too profitable in the anti-tech sentiment era (which they help create due to their resentment of Tech taking over their importance and cash flow)
4/23/2026, 5:57:26 PM