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Having worked in Silicon Valley with some really really smart people. I wonder how many people think they are genius because their circle is limited? When you

by geggam 7y ago

Having worked in Silicon Valley with some really really smart people. I wonder how many people think they are genius because their circle is limited? When you work in the valley for any period of time you think you might have a shot, and you might. If you get a chance to meet one of the founders of a well known valley company and have a conversation the realization that luck had nothing to do with their success should happen. Its truly humbling to meet a genius and get a glimpse of how their brain works.

TheOtherHobbes 7y ago
Geniuses are more likely to break systems than perpetuate them. With incredibly rare exceptions, being a founder/CEO is very much an exercise in a certain kind of conformism. So while you may have some very very smart people being founders, the outlier geniuses are going to be doing something else.
peteretep 7y ago
> the realization that luck had nothing to do with their success should happen Convince me.
- Nasrudith 7y ago
  The strong version is trivially disproveable - if they had got eaten by a dingo as an infant you would never seen any success regardless of how smart said poor illfated baby would be. That said talent, genius, and drive certainly are factors even with priviledged upbringing like needing money for education, seed capital and ability to dedicate their timr without side jobs. While self-made men, women and nonbinaries are rare and rarer still without posers - there are some who if they were born poorer would only have had their rise delayed by a decade at most. In contrast others who are peak "idiot heir" prove that it isn't /just/ privilege that brings success as they find ruin no matter their connections, starting wealth, and a futile attempt by their parents to teach how to perpetuate their birthright.
  - geggam 7y ago
    Being eaten by a dingo is a strawman. Given two people in the same place with the same opportunity you will see the difference. Yes chaos can happen and create challenges. Genius rises above it.
    - Nasrudith 7y ago
      It was a point about survivorship bias in the most blunt and literal way. Not all challenges may be risen above. I agree that they can rise above but not always.
      - geggam 7y ago
        If you want to compare yourself to dead people... so be it ?

by geggam 7y ago

TheOtherHobbes 7y ago

Geniuses are more likely to break systems than perpetuate them. With incredibly rare exceptions, being a founder/CEO is very much an exercise in a certain kind of conformism. So while you may have some very very smart people being founders, the outlier geniuses are going to be doing something else.

peteretep 7y ago

> the realization that luck had nothing to do with their success should happen Convince me.

Nasrudith 7y ago
The strong version is trivially disproveable - if they had got eaten by a dingo as an infant you would never seen any success regardless of how smart said poor illfated baby would be. That said talent, genius, and drive certainly are factors even with priviledged upbringing like needing money for education, seed capital and ability to dedicate their timr without side jobs. While self-made men, women and nonbinaries are rare and rarer still without posers - there are some who if they were born poorer would only have had their rise delayed by a decade at most. In contrast others who are peak "idiot heir" prove that it isn't /just/ privilege that brings success as they find ruin no matter their connections, starting wealth, and a futile attempt by their parents to teach how to perpetuate their birthright.
- geggam 7y ago
  Being eaten by a dingo is a strawman. Given two people in the same place with the same opportunity you will see the difference. Yes chaos can happen and create challenges. Genius rises above it.
  - Nasrudith 7y ago
    It was a point about survivorship bias in the most blunt and literal way. Not all challenges may be risen above. I agree that they can rise above but not always.
    - geggam 7y ago
      If you want to compare yourself to dead people... so be it ?