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Really? That's more impressive to you than going to harvard, founding a multibillion company and coming back for the degree?

Fluid_Mechanics 9y ago
My suffering is greater than your suffering. I am holier than thou.
jriot 9y ago
I compare founding Facebook to be the equivalent of founding Marlboro - highly addictive, bad for your health and provides no social value. In the end of agree with OP.
- melloclello 9y ago
  I find this 'Facebook = cigarettes' meme fascinating and hope it continues to propagate
- marviel 9y ago
  > I compare founding Facebook to be the equivalent of founding Marlboro - highly addictive, bad for your health and provides no social value. No social value? I think it has issues sure, some of them serious, but saying it has no social value whatsoever --- while perhaps true for you --- does not correspond with my own experience, nor the experience of many of my friends.
MrZongle2 9y ago
Yes. Is there really any doubt that if any multi-billionaire wants to get a degree from an Ivy League school, they can't get one? Said multi-billionaire can make the time. He can hire a tutor if he is struggling with a topic, and faculty would likely be more interested in helping him because he's rich and famous. Administration will be quite accommodating because, if he's an alumni and has a great experience, he'll likely donate to the school. Any hard-ass professor is going to be given the word to ease up, if there are any concerns. No middle-class schmuck has that advantage, when he's trying to cover room & board and do coursework. At the end of the day, he's downing some ramen then collapsing in bed for a few hours' sleep. A billionaire can enjoy a well-cooked meal, a massage, and a swim in the pool before retiring for the day. He has people to handle the drudgery, and other people to handle most of the corporate load. If Zuck somehow failed, it could be spun that he "chose to spend more time with family" or that Facebook "demanded more time than anticipated". He's still rich. He's still employed. If the middle-class schmuck fails, he's still in debt and the only job he has is the one he was already working at.
- eeZah7Ux 9y ago
  ...and it gets worse. Try being poor, toiling through a demeaning job, going hungry to feed others yet still manage to live without hurting anybody. There's a million unsung heroes out there. Winning the startup lottery doesn't make you one.
fenwick67 9y ago
Getting in to Harvard is impressive (if it wasn't predestined by your loaded, alumni parents). Founding a multibillion company is impressive. Going back to get the degree is not impressive.
- pinewurst 9y ago
  It's an _honorary_ degree as well. Ivy League universities give them expecting contributions.
- alvarosevilla95 9y ago
  Sorry just saw your reply. Going back to get the degree is just a nice closing for a very impressive trajectory.

Fluid_Mechanics 9y ago

My suffering is greater than your suffering. I am holier than thou.

jriot 9y ago

I compare founding Facebook to be the equivalent of founding Marlboro - highly addictive, bad for your health and provides no social value. In the end of agree with OP.

melloclello 9y ago
I find this 'Facebook = cigarettes' meme fascinating and hope it continues to propagate
marviel 9y ago
> I compare founding Facebook to be the equivalent of founding Marlboro - highly addictive, bad for your health and provides no social value. No social value? I think it has issues sure, some of them serious, but saying it has no social value whatsoever --- while perhaps true for you --- does not correspond with my own experience, nor the experience of many of my friends.

MrZongle2 9y ago

Yes. Is there really any doubt that if any multi-billionaire wants to get a degree from an Ivy League school, they can't get one? Said multi-billionaire can make the time. He can hire a tutor if he is struggling with a topic, and faculty would likely be more interested in helping him because he's rich and famous. Administration will be quite accommodating because, if he's an alumni and has a great experience, he'll likely donate to the school. Any hard-ass professor is going to be given the word to ease up, if there are any concerns. No middle-class schmuck has that advantage, when he's trying to cover room & board and do coursework. At the end of the day, he's downing some ramen then collapsing in bed for a few hours' sleep. A billionaire can enjoy a well-cooked meal, a massage, and a swim in the pool before retiring for the day. He has people to handle the drudgery, and other people to handle most of the corporate load. If Zuck somehow failed, it could be spun that he "chose to spend more time with family" or that Facebook "demanded more time than anticipated". He's still rich. He's still employed. If the middle-class schmuck fails, he's still in debt and the only job he has is the one he was already working at.

eeZah7Ux 9y ago
...and it gets worse. Try being poor, toiling through a demeaning job, going hungry to feed others yet still manage to live without hurting anybody. There's a million unsung heroes out there. Winning the startup lottery doesn't make you one.

fenwick67 9y ago

Getting in to Harvard is impressive (if it wasn't predestined by your loaded, alumni parents). Founding a multibillion company is impressive. Going back to get the degree is not impressive.

pinewurst 9y ago
It's an _honorary_ degree as well. Ivy League universities give them expecting contributions.
alvarosevilla95 9y ago
Sorry just saw your reply. Going back to get the degree is just a nice closing for a very impressive trajectory.