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Theranos was not viable because it was a scam and people in the industry thought exactly that. Unless you believe taxi drivers are all arguing that Uber doesn't

Theranos was not viable because it was a scam and people in the industry thought exactly that. Unless you believe taxi drivers are all arguing that Uber doesn't actually provide rides, I don't think your argument makes sense.

logicallee 10y ago
I'm arguing with the post that I replied to. This person wrote: >There seems to be this bravado among founders who believe they're sticking it to all the people who say something's amiss which is a completely unfair generalization and hurts all founders, of all companies. You raise irrelevant points. But to answer you, yes, there was a time in the past when taxi drivers would have argued that Uber is a scam, yes. I did a date-range Google search, and look at this: http://observer.com/2012/10/uber-lawsuit-chicago-taxi-limousine-consumer-fraud-unlawful-practices-travis-kalanick/ http://observer.com/2012/10/uber-lawsuit-chicago-taxi-limous... "Uber Sued for Consumer Fraud and Unlawful Practices by Chicago Taxi and Limo Companies". (2012) Consumer fraud means scam. So, please, jacalata, I would like you to say: -> "All right, Taxi cab companies did accuse Uber of being a scam, i.e. of consumer fraud, in 2012. The only difference between this an Theranos is that Uber was real and Theranos is not real." I want to hear you say this, because of the part of the comment that I quoted, stating "There seems to be this bravado among founders who believe they're sticking it to all the people who say something's amiss". I'd love for you to agree that that signal or litmus test is irrelevant, and the only thing that matters is whether it's actually a scam. Theranos was actually a scam - it didn't really do what it claimed at all, for which it is under criminal (criminal!) investigation. It has nothing, zip, zero, zilch, to do with Silicon Valley or founders, or bravado, or what the industry insiders were saying.
- CPLX 10y ago
  It should probably be noted that nearly all founder bravado is misplaced, just from a mathematical standpoint, as nearly all startup founders are helming failing businesses. Whether that is a feature or a bug I suppose is a different question.

logicallee 10y ago

I'm arguing with the post that I replied to. This person wrote: >There seems to be this bravado among founders who believe they're sticking it to all the people who say something's amiss which is a completely unfair generalization and hurts all founders, of all companies. You raise irrelevant points. But to answer you, yes, there was a time in the past when taxi drivers would have argued that Uber is a scam, yes. I did a date-range Google search, and look at this: http://observer.com/2012/10/uber-lawsuit-chicago-taxi-limousine-consumer-fraud-unlawful-practices-travis-kalanick/ http://observer.com/2012/10/uber-lawsuit-chicago-taxi-limous... "Uber Sued for Consumer Fraud and Unlawful Practices by Chicago Taxi and Limo Companies". (2012) Consumer fraud means scam. So, please, jacalata, I would like you to say: -> "All right, Taxi cab companies did accuse Uber of being a scam, i.e. of consumer fraud, in 2012. The only difference between this an Theranos is that Uber was real and Theranos is not real." I want to hear you say this, because of the part of the comment that I quoted, stating "There seems to be this bravado among founders who believe they're sticking it to all the people who say something's amiss". I'd love for you to agree that that signal or litmus test is irrelevant, and the only thing that matters is whether it's actually a scam. Theranos was actually a scam - it didn't really do what it claimed at all, for which it is under criminal (criminal!) investigation. It has nothing, zip, zero, zilch, to do with Silicon Valley or founders, or bravado, or what the industry insiders were saying.

CPLX 10y ago
It should probably be noted that nearly all founder bravado is misplaced, just from a mathematical standpoint, as nearly all startup founders are helming failing businesses. Whether that is a feature or a bug I suppose is a different question.