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After seeing how PG treats people when the filter's off, I don't think I want to be in YC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii1jcLg-eIQ#t=2179 https://www.youtu

by gct 11y ago

After seeing how PG treats people when the filter's off, I don't think I want to be in YC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii1jcLg-eIQ#t=2179 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii1jcLg-eIQ#t=2179

btian 11y ago
What did he do? Someone asked a dumb question and got called out for it.
- GFK_of_xmaspast 11y ago
  I get asked dumb questions all the time and don't call anybody out for it.
  - GFK_of_xmaspast 11y ago
    Yow, I am really getting the downvotes on this one, I guess 'interacting charitably and in good humor' is not as popular an opinion as I would have hoped.
    - richardbrevig 11y ago
      I was going to respond a few hours ago to your post: "maybe you should." There's a fine line here between being cruel and being honest. Personally, I've always struggled with this idea with some of my wealthier friends that act "more polite." They often out-right lie to each other, constantly, over little things. It's so weird to me. But when it comes to business, you shouldn't lie when providing advice or feedback. At the same time, you don't want to put people through an interrogation or completely crush them ("no, I don't like your idea, etc, etc, etc"). I think Paul Graham walked the line very well.
richardbrevig 11y ago
I've watched that lecture a couple times and never even thought what he was doing was bad until you called him out for it. And even still, I think he handled it very well. I've seen people ask questions to try to get recognition in groups, and when they don't get it, they childishly leave the meeting. This was a moment where I gained a lot of respect for Dave McClure: https://youtu.be/25TxrhsXFvs?t=46m14s https://youtu.be/25TxrhsXFvs?t=46m14s I've had 4 different choir directors through my life. The best was a man in high school that would get angry, throw his baton down, and walk out (of band). Never saw him do that in choir but I heard about it. He demanded that we were focused. In the select choir, all members were required to perform solos. I wasn't ready for mine, but he still forced me to do it (he refused to continue class until I sang). He was, beyond comparison, a better director than the others and the choir showed it. Going back to Paul Graham, even if he didn't handle that as well as you think he should have, his overall personality certainly makes up for it. Anyway, it's good to see that he'll be honest and you can trust him to do that.
atom-morgan 11y ago
That may not have been the kindest way to make his point but if that was my benchmark to determine whether or not I interact with someone, I would never talk to anybody.
datashovel 11y ago
Perfectly legitimate answer. Most importantly you're wasting pg's time w/ that question, but also important you're wasting other people's time who are interested in learning about startups, not about economics.
- LouisSayers 11y ago
  IMO, It's totally a fine question to give - I do believe however that the gripe was against the assumed intent of the questioner, but then, is it fair to assume one's intent in a situation like this? The answer was a good one and informative - startups are companies, and to ignore the economics involved would be a huge mistake. History does repeat itself, and so it's important to understand the difference between now and the 90's.
  - datashovel 11y ago
    When you really get to the meat and potatoes of that question, should anyone reasonably assume anyone knows with any certainty what the answer to that question is? What are the chances the questioner (had they really thought it through ahead of time) didn't already know he didn't know the answer to that question?
  - datashovel 11y ago
    Oh, and not to mention, imagine if he had actually tried to answer that question? Next day headline in newspaper "Paul Graham doesn't think we're in a tech bubble". Or if he did, "Paul Graham thinks we're in a tech bubble". It's a lose-lose anyway you look at it.
cbsmith 11y ago
Maybe not his nicest moment, but really? that's the worst you've got? That leads me to think he's pretty awesome without the filter on.
InclinedPlane 11y ago
Wow. Seriously? He was blunt but hardly rude or mean. Are people such delicate flowers today they can't have someone disagree with them forcefully without shriveling up and disintegrating?
meowface 11y ago
He answered that question very well.
linkydinkandyou 11y ago
I like PG; but I think YC may not be the best place for everyone. (We never considered it for our startup, for example.) And he is quick with the banhammer for those who disagree, which I think is unfortunate.

by gct 11y ago

After seeing how PG treats people when the filter's off, I don't think I want to be in YC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii1jcLg-eIQ#t=2179 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii1jcLg-eIQ#t=2179

btian 11y ago

What did he do? Someone asked a dumb question and got called out for it.

GFK_of_xmaspast 11y ago
I get asked dumb questions all the time and don't call anybody out for it.
- GFK_of_xmaspast 11y ago
  Yow, I am really getting the downvotes on this one, I guess 'interacting charitably and in good humor' is not as popular an opinion as I would have hoped.
  - richardbrevig 11y ago
    I was going to respond a few hours ago to your post: "maybe you should." There's a fine line here between being cruel and being honest. Personally, I've always struggled with this idea with some of my wealthier friends that act "more polite." They often out-right lie to each other, constantly, over little things. It's so weird to me. But when it comes to business, you shouldn't lie when providing advice or feedback. At the same time, you don't want to put people through an interrogation or completely crush them ("no, I don't like your idea, etc, etc, etc"). I think Paul Graham walked the line very well.

richardbrevig 11y ago

I've watched that lecture a couple times and never even thought what he was doing was bad until you called him out for it. And even still, I think he handled it very well. I've seen people ask questions to try to get recognition in groups, and when they don't get it, they childishly leave the meeting. This was a moment where I gained a lot of respect for Dave McClure: https://youtu.be/25TxrhsXFvs?t=46m14s https://youtu.be/25TxrhsXFvs?t=46m14s I've had 4 different choir directors through my life. The best was a man in high school that would get angry, throw his baton down, and walk out (of band). Never saw him do that in choir but I heard about it. He demanded that we were focused. In the select choir, all members were required to perform solos. I wasn't ready for mine, but he still forced me to do it (he refused to continue class until I sang). He was, beyond comparison, a better director than the others and the choir showed it. Going back to Paul Graham, even if he didn't handle that as well as you think he should have, his overall personality certainly makes up for it. Anyway, it's good to see that he'll be honest and you can trust him to do that.

atom-morgan 11y ago

That may not have been the kindest way to make his point but if that was my benchmark to determine whether or not I interact with someone, I would never talk to anybody.

datashovel 11y ago

Perfectly legitimate answer. Most importantly you're wasting pg's time w/ that question, but also important you're wasting other people's time who are interested in learning about startups, not about economics.

LouisSayers 11y ago
IMO, It's totally a fine question to give - I do believe however that the gripe was against the assumed intent of the questioner, but then, is it fair to assume one's intent in a situation like this? The answer was a good one and informative - startups are companies, and to ignore the economics involved would be a huge mistake. History does repeat itself, and so it's important to understand the difference between now and the 90's.
- datashovel 11y ago
  When you really get to the meat and potatoes of that question, should anyone reasonably assume anyone knows with any certainty what the answer to that question is? What are the chances the questioner (had they really thought it through ahead of time) didn't already know he didn't know the answer to that question?
- datashovel 11y ago
  Oh, and not to mention, imagine if he had actually tried to answer that question? Next day headline in newspaper "Paul Graham doesn't think we're in a tech bubble". Or if he did, "Paul Graham thinks we're in a tech bubble". It's a lose-lose anyway you look at it.

cbsmith 11y ago

Maybe not his nicest moment, but really? that's the worst you've got? That leads me to think he's pretty awesome without the filter on.

InclinedPlane 11y ago

Wow. Seriously? He was blunt but hardly rude or mean. Are people such delicate flowers today they can't have someone disagree with them forcefully without shriveling up and disintegrating?

meowface 11y ago

He answered that question very well.

linkydinkandyou 11y ago

I like PG; but I think YC may not be the best place for everyone. (We never considered it for our startup, for example.) And he is quick with the banhammer for those who disagree, which I think is unfortunate.