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I’m not saying the author is wrong here but I think he’s unfair in attacking just Facebook. The one thing I learned from my time in the valley is that EVERYONE

I’m not saying the author is wrong here but I think he’s unfair in attacking just Facebook. The one thing I learned from my time in the valley is that EVERYONE is looking out for themselves. That isn’t meant as negatively as it sounds. People go there to prove themselves. Either by making money or making their mark on the world (which is why people like Sean Parker stick around even after they’ve made money). But whatever the case they’re in it to win at all costs. That’s why people work 18 hours a day and pour every cent they have into their startup. But that’s the relevant point. If people are going to give up everything in their lives to win you can’t assume they’ll then hinder their chances by looking out for your needs. In this story the author is upset because Facebook decided they had a better chance of winning by partnering with iLike. But could you really expect any company in the valley to act differently? There are plenty of places in the world where the environment isn’t as competitive and if that appeals to you then you should go there. But if you decide to start a company in the heart of the startup world you should expect everyone to be working towards their own goals and plan accordingly. That means NEVER relying on ANYBODY more than you have to and ALWAYS having a backup plan.

witten 15y ago
All the more reason not to be a sharecropper and build your application on an open platform. If you know you're working in an environment in which everyone is looking out solely for their own interests, you might as well start out on even footing rather than with a Facebook or Microsoft holding the keys to your project's success.
- gaius 15y ago
  What open platform? Diaspora is a joke at this point.
  - william42 15y ago
    HTTP, HTML, and Javascript. (I will say, though, that I'm holding out a sliver of hope for Google+ becoming a federated platform.)
  - mahyarm 15y ago
    Just make facebook a social plugin/driver to your stand alone web app that you can swap out with ease. Make adding your app to G+ be a 1 week/ 2 day project for features available on both.
nirvana 15y ago
You can look out for yourself without lying, cheating, or backstabbing others. You can operate as a moral, ethical person, and not have to mislead people, or break your promises. Looking out for yourself is not the problem, dishonesty is. This becomes a bigger problem when dishonesty becomes part of the culture.
- TomOfTTB 15y ago
  I'll agree with outright lying in that a person knowingly lying to another person is wrong. But with the rest I'm not sure I can agree. Because again the Valley is a kill or be killed environment. The assumption is that others will look out for themselves. So, for example, if someone were to promise me something I'd ask for a contract. If I don't get a contract I'd assume that person was planning to violate that promise some day. Because that's how that environment works. And I'm not sure it could be any other way. Because the stakes are so high. It is human nature for people to forgive themselves if they feel they're acting for a higher cause. So if that person believes their company will make them billions of dollars and make the world a better place then they're likely to forgive themselves for telling a lie here or there. It may not be right but it's the way the world works (and honestly it's why I don't live there anymore)
  - nirvana 15y ago
    That's an interesting point. I've always thought of contracts as being the mechanism by which two honest parties clarify the terms of their agreement, such that the main value was getting the details written down, and agreed on, where they might otherwise be missed. It depends on the business, of course, but while I won't sign something I disagree with, I'd never trust that a court would have my back in a dispute. I'm more more concerned with whether the other party has integrity, and has interests aligned with mine, than specific terms of an agreement. In large part, I think of contracts as unenforceable, though maybe this comes from working at startups so much where you sign contracts, but you know that at your current size you couldn't afford the court case to enforce the contract, if it came to that. Mediation makes them more viable, though, since it lowers the barrier for getting a dispute heard. I think you and I don't live in Silicon Valley for very similar reasons. Plus, I just find the high risk focus a distraction from building a scalable business.
sanj 15y ago
Steve Blank feels otherwise: http://steveblank.com/2011/09/15/the-pay-it-forward-culture/ http://steveblank.com/2011/09/15/the-pay-it-forward-culture/ You don't have to be Machiavellian to succeed.
- larrys 15y ago
  I worked with Steve at a company. Steve isn't a nice guy. Steve is definitely a win at all costs type of person despite how he might try to portray himself right now. He brought men and women to tears and belittled them as did many of the people under him at his apparent approval.
  - aridiculous 15y ago
    In his mixergy interview, he was a nice, great, caring guy, but when Andrew took a wrong step, Blank sort of lost it on air. I chalked it up to he having a bad day or being highly stressed, but it was interesting to see such a quick shift in character. It reminds me of that scene in "Inside Job" where Columbia Dean Glenn Hubbard changes tone after a question he doesn't like. It's as if he pulled a mask off and became a monster. It's those small behavioral observations that make humans so interesting to me. Note: Steve Blank has chosen to be a public figure so I don't believe talking about his behavior is equivalent to gossip.
    - mmaro 15y ago
      It's been a while since I've watched it, but I didn't get the impression that Blank lost it. As I remember, Andrew just made a big deal out of his minor misstep and focused on the misstep rather than getting the interview back on track. I think most interviewees, not just Blank, would find this annoying.
      - mmaro 15y ago
        Please consider my comment retracted (I can't delete it); Andrew did a much better job than I remembered.
      - 15y ago
VladRussian 15y ago
>But if you decide to start a company in the heart of the startup world you should expect everyone to be working towards their own goals and plan accordingly. That means NEVER relying on ANYBODY more than you have to and ALWAYS having a backup plan. couple quotes come to mind by association: "Never believe them. Never fear them. Never ask them anything." "You should never ask anyone for anything. Never- and especially from those who are more powerful than yourself."
tlogan 15y ago
In general I think SV has a nice culture: people help each other. For example, Jonathan and Laura from Hackers and Founders. The competitive environment does not require behavior which is dishonest and win at all costs. There is a simple rule in business: if you are not sure whether to lie or not, tell the truth. Follow that rule and soround yourself with people like that you will be fine. Yes there are some assholes (and they ended up rich - go figure). Just be smart and avoid people who are not transparent and dishoest.

witten 15y ago

All the more reason not to be a sharecropper and build your application on an open platform. If you know you're working in an environment in which everyone is looking out solely for their own interests, you might as well start out on even footing rather than with a Facebook or Microsoft holding the keys to your project's success.

gaius 15y ago
What open platform? Diaspora is a joke at this point.
- william42 15y ago
  HTTP, HTML, and Javascript. (I will say, though, that I'm holding out a sliver of hope for Google+ becoming a federated platform.)
- mahyarm 15y ago
  Just make facebook a social plugin/driver to your stand alone web app that you can swap out with ease. Make adding your app to G+ be a 1 week/ 2 day project for features available on both.

nirvana 15y ago

You can look out for yourself without lying, cheating, or backstabbing others. You can operate as a moral, ethical person, and not have to mislead people, or break your promises. Looking out for yourself is not the problem, dishonesty is. This becomes a bigger problem when dishonesty becomes part of the culture.

TomOfTTB 15y ago
I'll agree with outright lying in that a person knowingly lying to another person is wrong. But with the rest I'm not sure I can agree. Because again the Valley is a kill or be killed environment. The assumption is that others will look out for themselves. So, for example, if someone were to promise me something I'd ask for a contract. If I don't get a contract I'd assume that person was planning to violate that promise some day. Because that's how that environment works. And I'm not sure it could be any other way. Because the stakes are so high. It is human nature for people to forgive themselves if they feel they're acting for a higher cause. So if that person believes their company will make them billions of dollars and make the world a better place then they're likely to forgive themselves for telling a lie here or there. It may not be right but it's the way the world works (and honestly it's why I don't live there anymore)
- nirvana 15y ago
  That's an interesting point. I've always thought of contracts as being the mechanism by which two honest parties clarify the terms of their agreement, such that the main value was getting the details written down, and agreed on, where they might otherwise be missed. It depends on the business, of course, but while I won't sign something I disagree with, I'd never trust that a court would have my back in a dispute. I'm more more concerned with whether the other party has integrity, and has interests aligned with mine, than specific terms of an agreement. In large part, I think of contracts as unenforceable, though maybe this comes from working at startups so much where you sign contracts, but you know that at your current size you couldn't afford the court case to enforce the contract, if it came to that. Mediation makes them more viable, though, since it lowers the barrier for getting a dispute heard. I think you and I don't live in Silicon Valley for very similar reasons. Plus, I just find the high risk focus a distraction from building a scalable business.

sanj 15y ago

Steve Blank feels otherwise: http://steveblank.com/2011/09/15/the-pay-it-forward-culture/ http://steveblank.com/2011/09/15/the-pay-it-forward-culture/ You don't have to be Machiavellian to succeed.

larrys 15y ago
I worked with Steve at a company. Steve isn't a nice guy. Steve is definitely a win at all costs type of person despite how he might try to portray himself right now. He brought men and women to tears and belittled them as did many of the people under him at his apparent approval.
- aridiculous 15y ago
  In his mixergy interview, he was a nice, great, caring guy, but when Andrew took a wrong step, Blank sort of lost it on air. I chalked it up to he having a bad day or being highly stressed, but it was interesting to see such a quick shift in character. It reminds me of that scene in "Inside Job" where Columbia Dean Glenn Hubbard changes tone after a question he doesn't like. It's as if he pulled a mask off and became a monster. It's those small behavioral observations that make humans so interesting to me. Note: Steve Blank has chosen to be a public figure so I don't believe talking about his behavior is equivalent to gossip.
  - mmaro 15y ago
    It's been a while since I've watched it, but I didn't get the impression that Blank lost it. As I remember, Andrew just made a big deal out of his minor misstep and focused on the misstep rather than getting the interview back on track. I think most interviewees, not just Blank, would find this annoying.
    - mmaro 15y ago
      Please consider my comment retracted (I can't delete it); Andrew did a much better job than I remembered.
    - 15y ago

VladRussian 15y ago

>But if you decide to start a company in the heart of the startup world you should expect everyone to be working towards their own goals and plan accordingly. That means NEVER relying on ANYBODY more than you have to and ALWAYS having a backup plan. couple quotes come to mind by association: "Never believe them. Never fear them. Never ask them anything." "You should never ask anyone for anything. Never- and especially from those who are more powerful than yourself."

tlogan 15y ago

In general I think SV has a nice culture: people help each other. For example, Jonathan and Laura from Hackers and Founders. The competitive environment does not require behavior which is dishonest and win at all costs. There is a simple rule in business: if you are not sure whether to lie or not, tell the truth. Follow that rule and soround yourself with people like that you will be fine. Yes there are some assholes (and they ended up rich - go figure). Just be smart and avoid people who are not transparent and dishoest.