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What's this "massive" risk? That you're going to have to get a full-time job at the end from one of your contacts or investors or investors companies? there's
by mattmanser 10y ago
What's this "massive" risk?
That you're going to have to get a full-time job at the end from one of your contacts or investors or investors companies?
there's no "massive" risk.
Where are the stories on HN about the hordes of ex-startup founders presently homeless? Or the stories about founders who lost their homes, marriages and kids?
There aren't any. Because when it gets really bad, they can step straight into a high paying job from someone else.
- jstanley 10y ago> they can step straight into a high paying job from someone else. To the extent that's true (and I believe it is true), it says more about how skilled/productive they are than how "privileged" they are.
- mattmanser 10y agoWe're not talking just about programmers, so yes, a fair proportion of that is privilege actually. If you've been to rich boarding school cause mummy and daddy can afford it and walk straight into another job because you speak in the right way, know the right people, that's privilege. Because you're a white, youngish male who drinks with the right meetups, speaks the right buzzwords. That's privilege. One consistent theme in successful people is that they over-exaggerate their skill level and how much they "deserve" their success. It's a known psychological problem, and it's one we should keep in mind when discussing this. You think that if she hadn't buggered up Theranos through poor, public, moral decisions Elizabeth Holmes would have had a hard time finding a job? Even without a degree? She'll probably still be able to get a job any way.
- jstanley 10y agoOne consistent theme in unsuccessful people is they play down other people's achievements and write it off as privilege. It's a known psychological problem.