this post was submitted on 18 May 2025
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Originally Posted By u/CountZer079 At 2025-05-17 10:09:09 PM | Source


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[–] Kirp123@lemmy.world 27 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Still can't believe someone decided to name a company Palantir.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Would you explain why? I'm not familiar with any reference.

[–] idiomaddict@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

It’s basically a crystal ball from tolkiens works- they can be used to communicate or show different times/places, but they’re not really reliable. (Edit: they’re also specifically vulnerable to being manipulated and used to selectively show misleading but true things if they fall into the hands of very powerful wizards, and Sauron’s use of them has been broadly compared to wartime propaganda, which is actually especially relevant for the type of data mining they do.)

The unreliability is a reason not to name your company after them, but I don’t know if people would be as surprised by the names “crystal ball“ or “scrying pool” or other unreliable magical methods of seeing things.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] idiomaddict@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

Of course! It did also just occur to me that they’re also specifically vulnerable to being manipulated and used to selectively show misleading but true things if they fall into the hands of very powerful wizards, and Sauron’s use of them has been broadly compared to wartime propaganda, which is actually especially relevant for the type of data mining palantir does.

[–] Tb0n3@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 weeks ago

Really living up to the name.

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 22 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

It's like Palantir is actively trying to top the tech company bad karma leaderboard.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 16 points 3 weeks ago

I mean, they named themselves Evil Corp

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

THIEL is obsessed with spying thats why he named after the scrying sphere in lotr.

[–] raltoid@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

I dislike the guy, but he's just obsessed with Tolkien in general. He's had multiple companies named after his works. Including Mithril, Rivendell, Lembas and Arda.

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 1 points 2 weeks ago

anduril, dont forget that one, i think that one was drone tech. just like conservatives, he co-opts perverts the meaning of words.

[–] detun3d@lemm.ee 11 points 3 weeks ago

Would you kindly fuck that shit up?

[–] Zenith@lemm.ee 3 points 2 weeks ago

Peter is autistic, openly, and considers it one of his strengths…

[–] MunkysUnkEnz0@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

Does this have anything to do with the telepathy tapes?

Or iz my tin foil hat on too tight?

[–] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago