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I attended a talk hosted by a wealthy founder who was born into privilege, and he said something like this: "Startups are really hard. You need to use every car
by jdtang13 9y ago
I attended a talk hosted by a wealthy founder who was born into privilege, and he said something like this: "Startups are really hard. You need to use every card that you've been dealt in order to succeed."
- hkmurakami 9y agoThat's what meritocracy is, really. It's a system that rewards the most physically fit, the most genetically endowed, the people with the most resource rich support system, etc. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but the fact that we're conditioned to think that a non level playing field is bad no matter what (vs a societal expectation that those with the most must give back the most), asking with a fetishistic of monetary success, really warps our outward facing behavior.
- cimmanom 9y agoHow is a strong support system that one was born into reflective of "merit"?
- BoiledCabbage 9y ago> the people with the most resource rich support system, etc. I'm not sure you even realize, but that's the exact opposite of the definition of meritocracy.
- AstralStorm 9y agoSpecifically, definition of oligarchy.
- hkmurakami 9y agoNo that is what a meritocracy is as we have it, and it is broken. Meritocracy rewards those who do the most. But those who can do the most are those who are the most well endowed. This is separate from an even more perverse system where those who don't do the most are rewarded the most.
- BoiledCabbage 9y agoI'm not gonna go ahead and paste a dictionary definition here, but a meritocracy is structured on talent and ability as opposed to class privilege or wealth. I believe you are misunderstanding the definition of a meritocracy.
- hyperdimension 9y agoHonest question: Are you mentioning this because you agree with him (that startups require a lot from anyone), or because you want to contrast that not everyone "has as many cards" as that founder?
- jdtang13 9y agoI only mention this quote because it sheds some light on how a very privileged person might still legitimately think of themselves as struggling and suffering when making a startup.
- hyperdimension 9y agoI always think of everyone having their own personal spectrum, ranging (crudely) from the most positive experience they've had, to the worst. Any new situation encountered by someone is judged relatively, based on their own personal spectrum. My point being that someone can honestly believe they are suffering at least relatively, if not absolutely. Each person has their own level of experience they consider "suffering".