So, Paul Graham (PG) gives us anxiety about startups, fear, uncertainty, doubt, for young people getting stuck prematurely on a long track that might be a mista

So, Paul Graham (PG) gives us anxiety about startups, fear, uncertainty, doubt, for young people getting stuck prematurely on a long track that might be a mistake and losing out on their youth, etc. Okay, there are no doubt examples that support that. But PG's focus is a bit narrow, something like YC graduate and VC funded $100 billion in 10 years or bust. Here is a bigger picture that is really more accurate and optimistic: First, we should consider a wider range of startups than "... $100 billion ...." We should note that the US is just awash in startups, from Aunt Martha's custom made wedding dresses and Joe's landscaping service to the full range of Main Street businesses in villages, towns, ..., the largest cities, border to border in the US, to much more. Some of these startups include Tom's ambitious Web site. Tom's older brother is half way through his ugrad electronics engineering degree and has taken a trip to China and lined up some manufacturing for a new pocket, wireless electronics item for some special purpose or other, uh, maybe letting Aunt Martha's customers send in good 3D specifications of their body shapes from some ultrasonic signals. Lesson: There's a LOT of startup activity for all ages, both genders, all education levels, etc. in the US. Some of these, maybe not Aunt Martha's custom wedding dresses, maybe a young person's second startup if not their first, might be big surprises and become the $100 billion. Second, PG is too narrow on the influences, inputs, information, inspiration, guidance, leadership, knowledge, experience, examples, etc. in practice available, and often important, for young people in business. As for dolphins, orcas, whales, wolves, big cats of Africa, ..., human children learn from their parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, family members, friends, neighbors, etc. They might get to work in Uncle Harry's custom Web site development service or some of their father's 7 fast food restaurants, get started in wireless electronics from their grandfather, a senior engineer at Qualcomm, etc. -- maybe learn high school math by age 10, calculus at 11, vector analysis at 12, Maxwell's equations at 13 or some such and, then, do a wireless startup, with some help from Uncle Harry! Lesson: For a lot of young people who want to start businesses, there are a LOT of information sources other than paying "full tuition" at the scary, solo school of hard knocks and high probability of failure in any of several respects that PG seems to paint.