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> But aptitude for exploiting people is not what Y Combinator looks for at all. In fact, it's the opposite of what they look for. I'll tell you what they do loo
by ardy42 6y ago
> But aptitude for exploiting people is not what Y Combinator looks for at all. In fact, it's the opposite of what they look for. I'll tell you what they do look for, by explaining how to convince Y Combinator to fund you, and you can see for yourself.
I mean, of course. Y Combinator is looking first and foremost for people who will make them billions in the aggregate. Most of those people who pass the interview will personally fail to join the billionaire club.
Also, its not like "building" and "exploiting" are mutually exclusive.
- dang 6y ago> Y Combinator is looking first and foremost for people who will make them billions in the aggregate Since the only way this happens is by funding founders who go on to build big successes, you're confirming what pg said.
- ardy42 6y ago> Since the only way this happens is by funding founders who go on to build big successes, you're confirming what pg said. He seems to be trying to make a general statement about billionaires or becoming a billionaire, but he's really only talking about a certain kind of potential billionaire that's suitable input for the VC business. His working definition of exploitation also seems to be far more limited in scope than the one the "mistaken" "politicians" use. Even someone who's kind and considerate to everyone around them can build system that exploits people.
- julienb_sea 6y agoIf your startup makes your investors billions, you are probably becoming a billionaire in the process or pretty close.
- ardy42 6y ago> If your startup makes your investors billions, you are probably becoming a billionaire in the process or pretty close. Most startups fail, though.
- willyg123 6y ago> Most startups fail, though. So do most batters in Major League Baseball.
- ardy42 6y ago> So do most batters in Major League Baseball. VC is the batter, though. They're interviewing people to be their balls.
- pvorb 6y agoAnd some balls get hit so hard that they become successful Baseball players themselves?
- ardy42 6y agoNo analogy is an exact mapping. But it is true outside observers spend far more time considering the few balls that were home runs than many more that were fouls.
- willyg123 6y agoI wasn't making an analogy to VC. Perhaps an inartful attempt to point out the previous comment's non sequitur.
- imgabe 6y ago> Most of those people who pass the interview will personally fail to join the billionaire club. And YC will not make much money from those people. They will lose money on a lot of them.