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Here's mine: fix income inequality and the staggering inequality in the distribution of wealth worldwide. How is that a startup? I dunno, maybe there's a sma

by Frondo 9y ago

Here's mine: fix income inequality and the staggering inequality in the distribution of wealth worldwide. How is that a startup? I dunno, maybe there's a small part of that big problem that you can start tackling. Maybe it has to do with some facet of the economy you're improving/making more efficient, maybe it has to do with influencing policy. That's for you to figure out. Find a big, big problem, and then look for a manageable chunk that your team can execute an idea on. You're in this for the long haul, right?

0xbear 9y ago
People who start companies are typically looking to increase “wealth inequality”.
- icebraining 9y ago
  Not really, most companies are small and don't pay more than a decent income even for the founders. VC-funded startups are an exception, not the rule. Even among software companies, I'd say, if you look beyond the US.
  - TrickyRick 9y ago
    But (One of) the ambition(s) is usually to make money, thereby increasing inequality. I have yet to find a startup with the ambition to pay everyone median salary and donate the rest to low-income households. Nothing wrong with that, just a fact :)
    - icebraining 9y ago
      The company I worked for previously paid decent (but not extravagant) salaries, and profits in the order of the low dozens of thousands annually. Meanwhile, our job consisted of outbidding and replacing SAP and Oracle solutions costing $$$$. Paying $10 to an SMB owner instead of $100 to Bill Gates et all reduces inequality, it doesn't increase it.
      - 0xbear 9y ago
        Let me guess: you had a heck of a time hiring qualified engineers.
- Rainymood 9y ago
  Think of it more as like a negative externality. People that use a car are not "typically looking to increase the rate of global warming and actively pollute the environment". Using a car is a means of getting from place A to B, in the process however, you create a negative externality (i.e. pollute the environment). When you create a startup you generally want to solve a very specific problem X at a grand scale, when you are able to do this while making some profit/growing in value you inevitably contribute to "inequality" as an externality.
whywhywhywhy 9y ago
Shocked that the idea startup people can “save the world” is still going strong in Q4 2027 Would have hoped the last year would have shook you all to your senses

by Frondo 9y ago

0xbear 9y ago

People who start companies are typically looking to increase “wealth inequality”.

icebraining 9y ago
Not really, most companies are small and don't pay more than a decent income even for the founders. VC-funded startups are an exception, not the rule. Even among software companies, I'd say, if you look beyond the US.
- TrickyRick 9y ago
  But (One of) the ambition(s) is usually to make money, thereby increasing inequality. I have yet to find a startup with the ambition to pay everyone median salary and donate the rest to low-income households. Nothing wrong with that, just a fact :)
  - icebraining 9y ago
    The company I worked for previously paid decent (but not extravagant) salaries, and profits in the order of the low dozens of thousands annually. Meanwhile, our job consisted of outbidding and replacing SAP and Oracle solutions costing $$$$. Paying $10 to an SMB owner instead of $100 to Bill Gates et all reduces inequality, it doesn't increase it.
    - 0xbear 9y ago
      Let me guess: you had a heck of a time hiring qualified engineers.
Rainymood 9y ago
Think of it more as like a negative externality. People that use a car are not "typically looking to increase the rate of global warming and actively pollute the environment". Using a car is a means of getting from place A to B, in the process however, you create a negative externality (i.e. pollute the environment). When you create a startup you generally want to solve a very specific problem X at a grand scale, when you are able to do this while making some profit/growing in value you inevitably contribute to "inequality" as an externality.

whywhywhywhy 9y ago

Shocked that the idea startup people can “save the world” is still going strong in Q4 2027 Would have hoped the last year would have shook you all to your senses