3 ms·

You are assuming they actively seek out people by race. If the pool of people in your domain are predominately of a particular race, it may be simple demographi

You are assuming they actively seek out people by race. If the pool of people in your domain are predominately of a particular race, it may be simple demographics at play, not bias.

genewitch 5y ago
This is just lazy, though. YC could hire a couple of well paid people to seek out innovators, via social media (Reddit, YouTube) and attempt to balance the scales. Throwing up one's hands and saying "welp, demographics/statistics/climate change/demon fairies are at play, here, so I guess we'll do nothing" is certainly capitalist, but it's not very good.
- primax 5y ago
  Are you arguing that venture capitalists shouldn't be capitalist...? You want them to go out and prod minorities into creating startups instead of considering the businesses that come to them?
  - drblast 5y ago
    Now that you mention it...yes exactly that.
- foobarbaz33 5y ago
  > attempt to balance the scales That is actually imbalance you are seeking. For example if 90% of people in a domain are of race X, then unbiased selection *should* select 90% of race X. Assuming the perceived investment opportunity is evenly distributed between all people.
  - genewitch 5y ago
    My point is the "domain" itself may be biased, and you won't know that if you go "well, 90% of the people applying are X, so that's what we're going to do" - perhaps the domain would be more heterogeneous but the non-X don't know anything about YC, VC, etc. There's lots of incredibly smart and savvy people on the planet. Eschewing them because "statistics" or "demographics" is, as i said, lazy.
    - foobarbaz33 5y ago
      > the "domain" itself may be biased I agree there. If you grow up in a chaotic country where survival is your main concern, it is less likely you will be involved with creating new technology. > Eschewing them because "statistics" or "demographics" is, as i said, lazy. Having fair and unbiased selection on your pool of applicants is not "Eschewing" anyone. I'd say that claim is lazy.
pl0x 5y ago
how are they not when they have been mostly funding cis-white males?

You are assuming they actively seek out people by race. If the pool of people in your domain are predominately of a particular race, it may be simple demographics at play, not bias.

genewitch 5y ago

This is just lazy, though. YC could hire a couple of well paid people to seek out innovators, via social media (Reddit, YouTube) and attempt to balance the scales. Throwing up one's hands and saying "welp, demographics/statistics/climate change/demon fairies are at play, here, so I guess we'll do nothing" is certainly capitalist, but it's not very good.

primax 5y ago
Are you arguing that venture capitalists shouldn't be capitalist...? You want them to go out and prod minorities into creating startups instead of considering the businesses that come to them?
- drblast 5y ago
  Now that you mention it...yes exactly that.
foobarbaz33 5y ago
> attempt to balance the scales That is actually imbalance you are seeking. For example if 90% of people in a domain are of race X, then unbiased selection *should* select 90% of race X. Assuming the perceived investment opportunity is evenly distributed between all people.
- genewitch 5y ago
  My point is the "domain" itself may be biased, and you won't know that if you go "well, 90% of the people applying are X, so that's what we're going to do" - perhaps the domain would be more heterogeneous but the non-X don't know anything about YC, VC, etc. There's lots of incredibly smart and savvy people on the planet. Eschewing them because "statistics" or "demographics" is, as i said, lazy.
  - foobarbaz33 5y ago
    > the "domain" itself may be biased I agree there. If you grow up in a chaotic country where survival is your main concern, it is less likely you will be involved with creating new technology. > Eschewing them because "statistics" or "demographics" is, as i said, lazy. Having fair and unbiased selection on your pool of applicants is not "Eschewing" anyone. I'd say that claim is lazy.

pl0x 5y ago

how are they not when they have been mostly funding cis-white males?