4 ms·

Agreed, but nothing really surprised me. It's just some of those start-up pumpers keep ignoring this fundamental truth. It's not entrepreneur gene, however sta

by ausjke 11y ago

Agreed, but nothing really surprised me. It's just some of those start-up pumpers keep ignoring this fundamental truth. It's not entrepreneur gene, however statistically, it's still the gene from your family tree, it normally takes generations to build the foundation for most people to take risks via education and efforts, and most if not all 'rich' families started from their disadvantaged ancestors. Rising from poor like what's in Godfather movies is still possible, but very unlikely.

mindcrime 11y ago
It's just some of those start-up pumpers keep ignoring this fundamental truth. And they should, because it's irrelevant. You can't change your parents, ya know. In the end, you play the hand you're dealt. If you're not from a rich family, maybe you just have to work that much harder, but I don't think the moral is "you were born poor, so just STFU and accept your lot in life". If someone wants to be an entrepreneur, they will find a way, even if they're from a poor family. Note that I'm not saying they'll all build billion dollar Internet companies - the range of what "entrepreneur" encompasses is pretty broad. Rising from poor like what's in Godfather movies is still possible, but very unlikely. So? There's a binary difference between "unlikely" and "impossible". Should we all avoid striving for anything that's "unlikely"? Most kids who play high-school football will never even get a scholarship at a BCS school, much less play in the NFL. Most kids who play football for BCS schools will never play in the NFL. Should kids stop dreaming of being NFL players? What if nobody bothered to dream anymore? What if nobody said "Fuck it, I can overcome the odds and do the unlikely?" Personally, I don't want to live in that world.
- nostrebored 11y ago
  Football analogy is probably actually pretty apt. You're playing a game where the vast majority don't get what they're hoping for, sacrificing opportunities along the way, while a large percentage get sports related injuries. The opportunity cost and actual cost of football greatly outweigh the likely benefit. Yet still, people think that they are the exception, and that the bad things can't happen to them. I think that your latter point is fair, we do need people who are willing to challenge the squo, and we do need people with good ideas to try to make them realities. But going in blind doesn't help anyone, and ignoring the reality of the situation (which from your other comments, it doesn't seem like you're doing) doesn't let you think of potential solutions.

by ausjke 11y ago

mindcrime 11y ago

It's just some of those start-up pumpers keep ignoring this fundamental truth. And they should, because it's irrelevant. You can't change your parents, ya know. In the end, you play the hand you're dealt. If you're not from a rich family, maybe you just have to work that much harder, but I don't think the moral is "you were born poor, so just STFU and accept your lot in life". If someone wants to be an entrepreneur, they will find a way, even if they're from a poor family. Note that I'm not saying they'll all build billion dollar Internet companies - the range of what "entrepreneur" encompasses is pretty broad. Rising from poor like what's in Godfather movies is still possible, but very unlikely. So? There's a binary difference between "unlikely" and "impossible". Should we all avoid striving for anything that's "unlikely"? Most kids who play high-school football will never even get a scholarship at a BCS school, much less play in the NFL. Most kids who play football for BCS schools will never play in the NFL. Should kids stop dreaming of being NFL players? What if nobody bothered to dream anymore? What if nobody said "Fuck it, I can overcome the odds and do the unlikely?" Personally, I don't want to live in that world.

nostrebored 11y ago
Football analogy is probably actually pretty apt. You're playing a game where the vast majority don't get what they're hoping for, sacrificing opportunities along the way, while a large percentage get sports related injuries. The opportunity cost and actual cost of football greatly outweigh the likely benefit. Yet still, people think that they are the exception, and that the bad things can't happen to them. I think that your latter point is fair, we do need people who are willing to challenge the squo, and we do need people with good ideas to try to make them realities. But going in blind doesn't help anyone, and ignoring the reality of the situation (which from your other comments, it doesn't seem like you're doing) doesn't let you think of potential solutions.