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I can really relate to this post a lot. While I have feelings of being sort of a dick when I come to terms with this, it is completely true. I don't really ha

I can really relate to this post a lot. While I have feelings of being sort of a dick when I come to terms with this, it is completely true. I don't really hang out with a lot of startup people (perhaps I need to). But mostly it is because I really need a break from the scene sometimes. However, my only friends in the area are the same friends I had in high school who aren't doing a whole lot with their lives. It is frustrating to say the least. Just tonight I got text messages from my friends telling me they drunkenly ran in my ex-girlfriend and are all having a great time out at the bars. Meanwhile, I'm sitting programming stuff into the night trying to make a business that could ultimately fail. But I'm learning a lot. Sure, I'm living in near-poverty. But I'm overall really enjoying myself -- even if it is quite lonely. In a way, it is motivating. On the other hand, it bums me out quite a bit.

alnayyir 16y ago
This is a better attitude to take to the matter. Just keep working, don't blog about how great you are on the blog whose main purpose is to tell other people about how great you are. What kind of stuff do you work on? (I'm a programmer as well)
- BenSchaechter 16y ago
  http://gopollgo.com http://gopollgo.com I'm creating a consumer/social polling website set to launch in about a week or so. On a consumer level it is basic. But we're going to offer advanced reporting, etc for bigger brands to connect with Twitter followers / Facebook friends, website visitors, etc. If anyone would like beta access, feel free to shoot me an email in my profile. /shameless-promo
- zuckerborg 16y ago
  Dude, this is Sebastian Marshall, one of the great strategists of our time. He specializes in winning and communicating the art of winning through his blog. Now to the untrained eye, his posts may come across as the work of a delusional, narcissistic windbag, but if you look deeper, you'll find that with his hectic schedule it's amazing that he has time to write at all. Between fighting off Asian gangsters with high-powered kung fu kicks and hosting charity events for hospitals whose name he misremembers, he still finds the energy to offer priceless career guidance and moral support to patio11. Soak up his wisdom, so that you too may learn the entrepreneur strategies of the winning scientist. As an aside, I would love to read more about his science. I've learned so much about strategy and entrepreneurship and winning from him, but not much yet about science. Please write about your science, Scientist Sebastian, so that I may seek to improve my own science, which has hitherto proven most unfruitful.
  - chegra 16y ago
    You can add he submitted a post for me to HN that got 20k views to that list. I know you are being sarcastic, but I can confirm that he at least done that one thing, and for me that is amazing.
  - ryanwaggoner 16y ago
    Extremely disappointing to see so many upvotes on such a mean-spirited comment by an anonymous user who has contributed to HN a fraction of what Sebastian has, in terms of time and karma. I understand that some people might disagree with what Sebastian has to say, but there are constructive ways to do so. Sarcastic, anonymous, ad hominem attacks like these are probably fun to write, but they hasten the downfall of a wonderful community. So thanks for that. PS - I've gotten to know Sebastian over the last few months and he's proven to be a genuinely good person who wants to learn how to be better and help others do the same. It's sad to see people lashing out at him for that.
    - alnayyir 16y ago
      In my culture, a refined critique is something to savored like wine. Careful skepticism is favored over blind boosterism as well. I am going to guess that you were raised in a more typically middle-class American manner. > but they hasten the downfall of a wonderful community. So thanks for that. Melodrama. You should know better than that.
      - ryanwaggoner 16y ago
        In my culture, a refined critique is something to savored like wine. Careful skepticism is favored over blind boosterism as well. The comment I was replying to was neither a refined critique nor an example of careful skepticism. Whether you agree with Sebastian isn't the point at all; comments like the one that zuckerborg made do absolutely nothing to raise the level of discourse. Which is probably why the HN guidelines are clear on this point: Be civil. Don't say things you wouldn't say in a face to face conversation. When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. E.g. "That is an idiotic thing to say; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3" can be shortened to "1 + 1 is 2, not 3." PG has said elsewhere that one kind of bad comment he tries to keep a lid on is meanness. I don't see any way that zuckerborg's comment wouldn't qualify, as it was aimed at the author's character, rather than this particular essay or argument. I am going to guess that you were raised in a more typically middle-class American manner. Finally, thanks for this jab at my (obviously inferior) background. It's always nice when someone you've never met or spoken to feels the urge to make assumptions about your character and intellect from a few sentences you wrote on a forum. Maybe mattmaroon was right about HN.
colbyolson 16y ago
I can sympathize. Right there with you buddy.

alnayyir 16y ago

This is a better attitude to take to the matter. Just keep working, don't blog about how great you are on the blog whose main purpose is to tell other people about how great you are. What kind of stuff do you work on? (I'm a programmer as well)

BenSchaechter 16y ago
http://gopollgo.com http://gopollgo.com I'm creating a consumer/social polling website set to launch in about a week or so. On a consumer level it is basic. But we're going to offer advanced reporting, etc for bigger brands to connect with Twitter followers / Facebook friends, website visitors, etc. If anyone would like beta access, feel free to shoot me an email in my profile. /shameless-promo
zuckerborg 16y ago
Dude, this is Sebastian Marshall, one of the great strategists of our time. He specializes in winning and communicating the art of winning through his blog. Now to the untrained eye, his posts may come across as the work of a delusional, narcissistic windbag, but if you look deeper, you'll find that with his hectic schedule it's amazing that he has time to write at all. Between fighting off Asian gangsters with high-powered kung fu kicks and hosting charity events for hospitals whose name he misremembers, he still finds the energy to offer priceless career guidance and moral support to patio11. Soak up his wisdom, so that you too may learn the entrepreneur strategies of the winning scientist. As an aside, I would love to read more about his science. I've learned so much about strategy and entrepreneurship and winning from him, but not much yet about science. Please write about your science, Scientist Sebastian, so that I may seek to improve my own science, which has hitherto proven most unfruitful.
- chegra 16y ago
  You can add he submitted a post for me to HN that got 20k views to that list. I know you are being sarcastic, but I can confirm that he at least done that one thing, and for me that is amazing.
- ryanwaggoner 16y ago
  Extremely disappointing to see so many upvotes on such a mean-spirited comment by an anonymous user who has contributed to HN a fraction of what Sebastian has, in terms of time and karma. I understand that some people might disagree with what Sebastian has to say, but there are constructive ways to do so. Sarcastic, anonymous, ad hominem attacks like these are probably fun to write, but they hasten the downfall of a wonderful community. So thanks for that. PS - I've gotten to know Sebastian over the last few months and he's proven to be a genuinely good person who wants to learn how to be better and help others do the same. It's sad to see people lashing out at him for that.
  - alnayyir 16y ago
    In my culture, a refined critique is something to savored like wine. Careful skepticism is favored over blind boosterism as well. I am going to guess that you were raised in a more typically middle-class American manner. > but they hasten the downfall of a wonderful community. So thanks for that. Melodrama. You should know better than that.
    - ryanwaggoner 16y ago
      In my culture, a refined critique is something to savored like wine. Careful skepticism is favored over blind boosterism as well. The comment I was replying to was neither a refined critique nor an example of careful skepticism. Whether you agree with Sebastian isn't the point at all; comments like the one that zuckerborg made do absolutely nothing to raise the level of discourse. Which is probably why the HN guidelines are clear on this point: Be civil. Don't say things you wouldn't say in a face to face conversation. When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. E.g. "That is an idiotic thing to say; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3" can be shortened to "1 + 1 is 2, not 3." PG has said elsewhere that one kind of bad comment he tries to keep a lid on is meanness. I don't see any way that zuckerborg's comment wouldn't qualify, as it was aimed at the author's character, rather than this particular essay or argument. I am going to guess that you were raised in a more typically middle-class American manner. Finally, thanks for this jab at my (obviously inferior) background. It's always nice when someone you've never met or spoken to feels the urge to make assumptions about your character and intellect from a few sentences you wrote on a forum. Maybe mattmaroon was right about HN.

colbyolson 16y ago

I can sympathize. Right there with you buddy.