5 ms·

Dichotomies are such a cliched way of getting attention. In this case, though, it was barely necessary. The thesis: "People who risk things to create are neat.

Dichotomies are such a cliched way of getting attention. In this case, though, it was barely necessary. The thesis: "People who risk things to create are neat." Okay, cool, just roll with that. I completely agree! But this rhetorical nonsense where we divide up the world between people who found a business and those who don't is so trite as to be exhausting. In truth, there are dozens or hundreds of types of people in the world. Some are starving, some exist under the thumb of dictatorial thugs, some are oblivious to greater than bronze age technology. A precious few win the ovarian lottery in such a way that they can start a business. Or not. Now, just because rhetoric isn't strictly true doesn't mean you shouldn't use it. But when it's strictly dull, relative to the nuanced and fascinating reality it supersedes, meh, you're just posting for the sake of posting. Do better for your readers and yourself. Creating an "other" is the oldest, cheapest tribalist trick in the book. Maybe you score some points with everyone on the side you're glorifying but no one learns anything.

satori99 16y ago
Agreed. This post is disapointing and not a worthy HN submission IMHO. Even putting aside the silly title and rhetoric, the idea behind the post is still lame. I can give up just about any web site I use daily with little disruption to my life. No matter how much blood sweat and tears it's creator has put on the line.At the end of the day, they are just web apps. They are not important to me, like say, my garbageman coming every week is important to me. To classify people who start companies that build web sites as being superior to others in any way at all is laughable. (I make web applications for a living).
- _pius 16y ago
  To classify people who start companies that build web sites as being superior to others in any way at all is laughable. (I make web applications for a living). He didn't mention "companies that build web sites" or call anyone superior.
  - vacri 16y ago
    "He didn't mention "companies that build web sites" or call anyone superior." You need to practice reading between the lines. That's pretty much what the entire post was about.
    - _pius 16y ago
      You need to practice reading between the lines. That's pretty much what the entire post was about. No. Believe it or not, there are entrepreneurs who do other things besides make web sites. If you think this post is specifically about web startups, you're missing the point. Moreover, attacking it on that basis makes zero sense. Meanwhile, you and some others are projecting the "superiority" bit onto the article. The fact is, people have pretty much zero idea what it means to start a company until they've actually done it. Doesn't mean founders are necessarily superior, but it is what it is. I don't understand why this is controversial. I don't get defensive when people say "either you've run a marathon or you haven't" or "either you've climbed Mount Everest or you haven't." I haven't ... so what? I don't get flustered and try to deny that they've got a shared experience that not many others will fully understand.
      - vacri 16y ago
        I wasn't talking about the website part, hence the partial emphasis of the quote. Who said I was being defensive? I haven't started a company, but I watched my mother self-start a bookshop and publishing small business while raising me, so I'm aware of the risks. The article is basically saying that self-starters have something no-one else has, and that makes them superior. Thing is, he isn't saying "either you've run a marathon or not", but "either you've taken these amazing risks and that says something about you as a person". Which is fine (as I said, I'm not defensive about it) but it is pretty strongly implying superiority. Given the number of "hear hear!" comments to the post, it's pretty clear that the crowd also thought so. Hell, even people who would utter something like "two types of people: either you have or haven't run a marathon/everest" are implying some form of superiority. The same as the vietnam vet who says "You weren't there, maaan!". It doesn't mean that the comment is invalid, but I'm just recognising that the article is self-congratulatory.
jayliew 16y ago
Chris just described me. Figuratively speaking. If you're bootstrapping a startup solo, you will realize it's a super lonely road and you just can't get enough of these "pick me ups". It's motivational and inspirational to me, and people like me. If it's not to you, then I guess this piece wasn't written for you. But it was written for me.

satori99 16y ago

Agreed. This post is disapointing and not a worthy HN submission IMHO. Even putting aside the silly title and rhetoric, the idea behind the post is still lame. I can give up just about any web site I use daily with little disruption to my life. No matter how much blood sweat and tears it's creator has put on the line.At the end of the day, they are just web apps. They are not important to me, like say, my garbageman coming every week is important to me. To classify people who start companies that build web sites as being superior to others in any way at all is laughable. (I make web applications for a living).

_pius 16y ago
To classify people who start companies that build web sites as being superior to others in any way at all is laughable. (I make web applications for a living). He didn't mention "companies that build web sites" or call anyone superior.
- vacri 16y ago
  "He didn't mention "companies that build web sites" or call anyone superior." You need to practice reading between the lines. That's pretty much what the entire post was about.
  - _pius 16y ago
    You need to practice reading between the lines. That's pretty much what the entire post was about. No. Believe it or not, there are entrepreneurs who do other things besides make web sites. If you think this post is specifically about web startups, you're missing the point. Moreover, attacking it on that basis makes zero sense. Meanwhile, you and some others are projecting the "superiority" bit onto the article. The fact is, people have pretty much zero idea what it means to start a company until they've actually done it. Doesn't mean founders are necessarily superior, but it is what it is. I don't understand why this is controversial. I don't get defensive when people say "either you've run a marathon or you haven't" or "either you've climbed Mount Everest or you haven't." I haven't ... so what? I don't get flustered and try to deny that they've got a shared experience that not many others will fully understand.
    - vacri 16y ago
      I wasn't talking about the website part, hence the partial emphasis of the quote. Who said I was being defensive? I haven't started a company, but I watched my mother self-start a bookshop and publishing small business while raising me, so I'm aware of the risks. The article is basically saying that self-starters have something no-one else has, and that makes them superior. Thing is, he isn't saying "either you've run a marathon or not", but "either you've taken these amazing risks and that says something about you as a person". Which is fine (as I said, I'm not defensive about it) but it is pretty strongly implying superiority. Given the number of "hear hear!" comments to the post, it's pretty clear that the crowd also thought so. Hell, even people who would utter something like "two types of people: either you have or haven't run a marathon/everest" are implying some form of superiority. The same as the vietnam vet who says "You weren't there, maaan!". It doesn't mean that the comment is invalid, but I'm just recognising that the article is self-congratulatory.

jayliew 16y ago

Chris just described me. Figuratively speaking. If you're bootstrapping a startup solo, you will realize it's a super lonely road and you just can't get enough of these "pick me ups". It's motivational and inspirational to me, and people like me. If it's not to you, then I guess this piece wasn't written for you. But it was written for me.