3 ms·
Ask HN: Is this T-shirt message too selfish?
We're a startup team of 3 people and we'll start working in a co-working space. We are currently looking to extend our team and we want a T-shirt that stands out. Is the following message too selfish?
“All people are created equal but only the best work at StartupName”
- dalke 10y agoYou do know it's an Animal Farm reference, right? "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others" In the story, this was the "commandment" used to justify why the pigs - as symbolic for the Soviet leaders - could take over Animal Farm. If you use that quote, it would suggest that StartUp Name, made of "the best", wants to oppress others. Now, I can think of some jobs where that is true. But if that's the case, you might not want to signal your intentions so directly.
- PaulHoule 10y agoReminds me of the big ugly fat guy I saw at the mall who had a shirt that said "I have the DICK so I make the RULES". It left me wishing the tiny asian woman who works at the mma gym would rip his ears off.
- Phithagoras 10y agoIt's a little gimmicky, but if its a joke or a humourous method of promoting yourselves there isn't anything properly offensive about it. As long as are actually working on a decent project, I'd say go for it, it's funny.
- brudgers 10y agoIt depends on if the ideal candidate is the sort of person who wants to work with people who wear tee shirts that proclaim themselves the best programmers to the point that they will wear such a tee shirt. To me, worrying over which clever slogan to put on tee shirt is a way of pretending to do the hard work of recruiting which is talking to people and evaluating their ability and deciding it doesn't fit and telling them so and being humane while doing so. I think, "StartupName: We are hiring" is more to the point and a better conversation starter. Good luck.