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"I generally assume that it's okay to lie if it doesn't lead the other person into a decision that will bring them harm..." Humility is knowing you're not smar

"I generally assume that it's okay to lie if it doesn't lead the other person into a decision that will bring them harm..." Humility is knowing you're not smart enough to know when other people are better off being lied to. Once you start justifying your lies as being helpful to the victims, you've crossed from malice to delusion. Further, you've just admitted on a public forum read by many with deep connections in the startup world (and others bright enough to crack whatever anonymity you think you have), that you're okay with lying to investors. This doesn't bode well for your career as a master fraud. With skills like these, the Dark Side doesn't have much to offer you. Please consider switching teams.

pw0ncakes 17y ago
I never claimed to be a master liar, and it should be obvious that I'm not one. I don't like doing it, as I find it distasteful, and I don't, but I recognize that certain kinds of material and social success will require deception for 99+% of people. Most people live in a world of fiction and react horribly to having that fiction refuted, which the truth often does. If you're willing to piss them off and have them hate or reject you (which I often am, because it's endlessly amusing to me) tell the truth to them. If you want smooth relationships with them, offer up a story. One of those fictions is "Society"; many people have a deep desire to believe that they're among an exclusive elite-- and those who are powerful have the means to persist in this semi-delusion-- and that this elite encompasses all people who are of any value-- this part is obviously ridiculous. If you ape their values and manners (spin a story; uphold the fiction) these people may let you into their club and you may benefit from their resources; if you upset their story with the truth (that most people of talent are not like them and have different values and backgrounds) they will either reject you or (if you pierce their shield of self-deception) become very angry. The former is more likely, but neither benefits you.
devinj 17y ago
"You're deluded and have ruined your entire career for good." Really? How kind of you.

pw0ncakes 17y ago

I never claimed to be a master liar, and it should be obvious that I'm not one. I don't like doing it, as I find it distasteful, and I don't, but I recognize that certain kinds of material and social success will require deception for 99+% of people. Most people live in a world of fiction and react horribly to having that fiction refuted, which the truth often does. If you're willing to piss them off and have them hate or reject you (which I often am, because it's endlessly amusing to me) tell the truth to them. If you want smooth relationships with them, offer up a story. One of those fictions is "Society"; many people have a deep desire to believe that they're among an exclusive elite-- and those who are powerful have the means to persist in this semi-delusion-- and that this elite encompasses all people who are of any value-- this part is obviously ridiculous. If you ape their values and manners (spin a story; uphold the fiction) these people may let you into their club and you may benefit from their resources; if you upset their story with the truth (that most people of talent are not like them and have different values and backgrounds) they will either reject you or (if you pierce their shield of self-deception) become very angry. The former is more likely, but neither benefits you.

devinj 17y ago

"You're deluded and have ruined your entire career for good." Really? How kind of you.