4 ms·

My guess is it's just there are more people and proportionally fewer jobs. Wealth and power concentrate into big players who have more leverage. I think one r

My guess is it's just there are more people and proportionally fewer jobs. Wealth and power concentrate into big players who have more leverage. I think one reason we see more entrepreneurs today isn't just because it's easier - many people feel it's the only option. And in the same vein as above, a few VCs hold most of the money and get to dictate terms.

mercer 10y ago
A few years ago I moved to a different city and through circumstances made a lot of friends who are just-post-college, usually in their mid-twenties. At first I was quite excited that so many of them wanted to be freelancers and entrepreneurs, because in my post-college days I often felt like the odd one out, choosing freelancing and (minor) entrepreneurship. My views changed as I got to know them better. Most of them didn't really choose entrepreneurship or freelancing, but saw it as the only way out of the low-wage, unschooled college side-jobs that they were still doing. Most of them would've probably benefitted from a few years of work experience in an existing organization, and most of them, when asked, would take such a job over freelancing or their 'startup'. What I find most disturbing is the rather popular narrative (around here) of how self-employment and entrepreneurship are things to aspire to and preferable over employment. A lot of these friends buy or bought into this narrative without any idea of what a 'real job' is actually like. Quite a few of them are doing this whole bootstrapping thing by choice, or claim they do, but I can't help but wonder how much 'choice' this really is when they're actively pushed in this direction and where there are really no good alternatives. I get the same vibes from this situation that I get from the perennially single people I know who claim it's by choice; they prefer being alone. It might be true, but it feels like a lie (or at least a way to feel a bit better about things). The thing is: this is all wonderful for me, in theory. I have a huge supply of very smart, motivated people who are willing to work for a pittance or even just 'intern' for me, all just for the promise that my shitty startup-idea will take off. I don't take advantage of this, but it's tempting and I'm sure many others do.

mercer 10y ago

A few years ago I moved to a different city and through circumstances made a lot of friends who are just-post-college, usually in their mid-twenties. At first I was quite excited that so many of them wanted to be freelancers and entrepreneurs, because in my post-college days I often felt like the odd one out, choosing freelancing and (minor) entrepreneurship. My views changed as I got to know them better. Most of them didn't really choose entrepreneurship or freelancing, but saw it as the only way out of the low-wage, unschooled college side-jobs that they were still doing. Most of them would've probably benefitted from a few years of work experience in an existing organization, and most of them, when asked, would take such a job over freelancing or their 'startup'. What I find most disturbing is the rather popular narrative (around here) of how self-employment and entrepreneurship are things to aspire to and preferable over employment. A lot of these friends buy or bought into this narrative without any idea of what a 'real job' is actually like. Quite a few of them are doing this whole bootstrapping thing by choice, or claim they do, but I can't help but wonder how much 'choice' this really is when they're actively pushed in this direction and where there are really no good alternatives. I get the same vibes from this situation that I get from the perennially single people I know who claim it's by choice; they prefer being alone. It might be true, but it feels like a lie (or at least a way to feel a bit better about things). The thing is: this is all wonderful for me, in theory. I have a huge supply of very smart, motivated people who are willing to work for a pittance or even just 'intern' for me, all just for the promise that my shitty startup-idea will take off. I don't take advantage of this, but it's tempting and I'm sure many others do.