I hear what you're saying, but I think you've drawn the wrong conclusion, from OPs story, and your experience having drinks with clients. OP blew up in his int

I hear what you're saying, but I think you've drawn the wrong conclusion, from OPs story, and your experience having drinks with clients. OP blew up in his interview and got to the truth. But really, what he shouted when out of control wasn't that different from the story that he started with. Imagine that he started with that honest story. It would have been part of his elevator pitch, and part of his deck, and he would have given that same speech a few hundred times, and all the color and passion would have long since evaporated. The conclusion that I draw is that you get to the truth by getting someone to switch off autopilot. And that can be done by provoking an emotional reaction (not that that's what the YC guy was intending to do, I'm guessing), or by loosening up through the application of a little alcohol.