3 ms·

Sorry, but in what universe is it considered rude to not talk to random strangers who interrupt you in the street? I certainly don't think you should hold this

Sorry, but in what universe is it considered rude to not talk to random strangers who interrupt you in the street? I certainly don't think you should hold this experience against him. Hopefully he doesn't hold it against you.

spike021 11y ago
I didn't say it was rude, though. I would have hoped he could've just said "sorry, but I'm too busy to talk right now." Like I said, it was likely wrong place/wrong time. First impression doesn't mean all subsequent impressions. Anyway, I hope I do get the chance to meet him eventually when it's the right time.
DodgyEggplant 11y ago
"We're having a conversation!" is a perfectly legit saying, even to someone who is not a stranger on the street. On the other hand, Naval is a celebrity, and it's more expected for a celebrity to get such requests - maybe not wanted, but probably common. The deeper question is less anecdotal: to what extent, to cite Kevin Spacey (who cites Jack Lemon), the tech community sends the elevator back down. In this respect, AngelList has done a tremendous change to open more opportunities to more people. It actually opened the closed doors to many, and great news they are taking it to the next level. If this fund succeed, even more funds will follow.
- morgante 11y ago
  > On the other hand, Naval is a celebrity, and it's more expected for a celebrity to get such requests - maybe not wanted, but probably common. I'm not sure I agree. He might be relatively prominent within the SV startup community, but that doesn't make him a celebrity. The vast majority of people (heck, the vast majority of engineers) would have no idea who he is.
rokhayakebe 11y ago
In every universe my friend. I have no idea what the context was for Naval, but if someone walks to you and say "excuse me I hope I am not interrupting," REGARDLESS of your conversation (because you are in a public place), you stop and give them 15 seconds. For how do you know they are not telling you your car is being towed, or your kid is being taken away, or you dropped your wallet. If it were Obama who walked to them would they have stopped for 15 seconds? If yes, then what is the difference? At the very least say with a smile that you are sorry, but this is really not a good time, but they can email you if it is not urgent.
- ceejayoz 11y ago
  > For how do you know they are not telling you your car is being towed, or your kid is being taken away, or you dropped your wallet. You don't generally start conversations like that with "hope I'm not interrupting". "Someone's taking your kid!" would be the starting point, most likely. > If it were Obama who walked to them would they have stopped for 15 seconds? If yes, then what is the difference? They're not Obama?
  - rokhayakebe 11y ago
    If you are nice to people simply because it is advantageous to you, then you are not nice. As far as I am concern, yourself and Obama get the same first 30 seconds, countenance, and respect. And if I must turn both of you down, I should do it politely. Note: I am not saying this is what the guy did, I have no context and I was not there.
    - ceejayoz 11y ago
      Look, I think quite highly of myself... but 30 seconds of my attention is not worth 30 seconds of Obama's attention to the average person. "We're having a conversation here" isn't impolite, and a no one has a right to a random stranger's attention.

spike021 11y ago

I didn't say it was rude, though. I would have hoped he could've just said "sorry, but I'm too busy to talk right now." Like I said, it was likely wrong place/wrong time. First impression doesn't mean all subsequent impressions. Anyway, I hope I do get the chance to meet him eventually when it's the right time.

DodgyEggplant 11y ago

"We're having a conversation!" is a perfectly legit saying, even to someone who is not a stranger on the street. On the other hand, Naval is a celebrity, and it's more expected for a celebrity to get such requests - maybe not wanted, but probably common. The deeper question is less anecdotal: to what extent, to cite Kevin Spacey (who cites Jack Lemon), the tech community sends the elevator back down. In this respect, AngelList has done a tremendous change to open more opportunities to more people. It actually opened the closed doors to many, and great news they are taking it to the next level. If this fund succeed, even more funds will follow.

morgante 11y ago
> On the other hand, Naval is a celebrity, and it's more expected for a celebrity to get such requests - maybe not wanted, but probably common. I'm not sure I agree. He might be relatively prominent within the SV startup community, but that doesn't make him a celebrity. The vast majority of people (heck, the vast majority of engineers) would have no idea who he is.

rokhayakebe 11y ago

In every universe my friend. I have no idea what the context was for Naval, but if someone walks to you and say "excuse me I hope I am not interrupting," REGARDLESS of your conversation (because you are in a public place), you stop and give them 15 seconds. For how do you know they are not telling you your car is being towed, or your kid is being taken away, or you dropped your wallet. If it were Obama who walked to them would they have stopped for 15 seconds? If yes, then what is the difference? At the very least say with a smile that you are sorry, but this is really not a good time, but they can email you if it is not urgent.

ceejayoz 11y ago
> For how do you know they are not telling you your car is being towed, or your kid is being taken away, or you dropped your wallet. You don't generally start conversations like that with "hope I'm not interrupting". "Someone's taking your kid!" would be the starting point, most likely. > If it were Obama who walked to them would they have stopped for 15 seconds? If yes, then what is the difference? They're not Obama?
- rokhayakebe 11y ago
  If you are nice to people simply because it is advantageous to you, then you are not nice. As far as I am concern, yourself and Obama get the same first 30 seconds, countenance, and respect. And if I must turn both of you down, I should do it politely. Note: I am not saying this is what the guy did, I have no context and I was not there.
  - ceejayoz 11y ago
    Look, I think quite highly of myself... but 30 seconds of my attention is not worth 30 seconds of Obama's attention to the average person. "We're having a conversation here" isn't impolite, and a no one has a right to a random stranger's attention.