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Stop Protesting Wall Street and Build a Startup

13 points by kirinkalia 15y ago

sophacles 15y ago
Great strawman! Of course the protests are partly about the wall st bogus wealth creation scheme. But more so, they are about the fact that in this supposedly free and just society, monetary value is literally the only thing that matters when it comes to predicting outcome of stuff that should not be bought, e.g. elections, court trials, laws, the ability to start business competing with the entrenched players (who buy regulation stating they are the only player). It is about the fact that people who bust their ass (including the mythical startup founder) mostly just get screwed, because as soon as they figure out how they can reap benefits, that option is taken from them by those who need that extra .005% because somehow it matters that they have $1.1 billion instead of $1.0 billion (both numbers that mean essentially enough money to do whatever you want for the rest of your life, and the lives of your great grandkids too). It is about the fact that they paid taxes and built the infrastructure that is now being taken from them, in place of some privatized bullshit that they must re-pay for, because they can't buy laws to protect themselves. It is that they face imprisonment for attempting to come up with different business plans and attempting to play by new rules, while those who have giant companies can do what they want and hide behind liability sheilds, wherein there is no punishment for changing the rules for anything. But sure, startups will cure everything because "duh startups are magic unicorn poop that always disrupt everything and never ever fail 90% of the time".
jasonmcalacanis 15y ago
I'm wondering if I got my point across without dissing the folks who are suffering. every time i write a piece about taking control of your destiny I get flammed by folks who can't/haven't/etc. i try to soften and craft it to pull these folks in.... but sometimes i feel like i fail at it.
- Mistone 15y ago
  Jason - this is fire - some of the best stuff I've read in the newsletter yet!
  - Mistone 15y ago
    thinking there should in fact be some middle ground - in fact protests can be quite effective and something aimed directly at wall street banks is key. The recent actions in Iceland are an excellent example for people getting together and causing real change against very powerful govt / banking institutions. while airbnb is pretty - it main (non founder) shareholders are in fact the 1%.
- driverdan 15y ago
  Jason, this is one of your best articles of all time. The solution to corrupt capitalism isn't socialism, it's uncorrupted capitalism. I've long believed that the best way to change something is to adapt it as your own and change it from the inside out.
  - jasonmcalacanis 15y ago
    thanks pal...
- rsobers 15y ago
  I understand what you're trying to get at, Jason. I too have sympathy for those who legitimately can't get a break no matter how hard they try (war vets, the disabled, etc.). But some of these kids have been given opportunity and are too lazy to take it. I walk by the Wall Street protesters every morning on my way to work. Most of them are still asleep at 8am while the Wall Street guys have been busting their asses for 3 hours already. Most bankers are greedy and cutthroat and don't create value. But while some are motivated to obtain wealth in order to buy yachts and sports cars, I'd say most hate their jobs and are slogging away to provide the best possible lives for their families.

13 points by kirinkalia 15y ago

Great strawman! Of course the protests are partly about the wall st bogus wealth creation scheme. But more so, they are about the fact that in this supposedly free and just society, monetary value is literally the only thing that matters when it comes to predicting outcome of stuff that should not be bought, e.g. elections, court trials, laws, the ability to start business competing with the entrenched players (who buy regulation stating they are the only player). It is about the fact that people who bust their ass (including the mythical startup founder) mostly just get screwed, because as soon as they figure out how they can reap benefits, that option is taken from them by those who need that extra .005% because somehow it matters that they have $1.1 billion instead of $1.0 billion (both numbers that mean essentially enough money to do whatever you want for the rest of your life, and the lives of your great grandkids too). It is about the fact that they paid taxes and built the infrastructure that is now being taken from them, in place of some privatized bullshit that they must re-pay for, because they can't buy laws to protect themselves. It is that they face imprisonment for attempting to come up with different business plans and attempting to play by new rules, while those who have giant companies can do what they want and hide behind liability sheilds, wherein there is no punishment for changing the rules for anything. But sure, startups will cure everything because "duh startups are magic unicorn poop that always disrupt everything and never ever fail 90% of the time".

jasonmcalacanis 15y ago

I'm wondering if I got my point across without dissing the folks who are suffering. every time i write a piece about taking control of your destiny I get flammed by folks who can't/haven't/etc. i try to soften and craft it to pull these folks in.... but sometimes i feel like i fail at it.

Mistone 15y ago
Jason - this is fire - some of the best stuff I've read in the newsletter yet!
- Mistone 15y ago
  thinking there should in fact be some middle ground - in fact protests can be quite effective and something aimed directly at wall street banks is key. The recent actions in Iceland are an excellent example for people getting together and causing real change against very powerful govt / banking institutions. while airbnb is pretty - it main (non founder) shareholders are in fact the 1%.
driverdan 15y ago
Jason, this is one of your best articles of all time. The solution to corrupt capitalism isn't socialism, it's uncorrupted capitalism. I've long believed that the best way to change something is to adapt it as your own and change it from the inside out.
- jasonmcalacanis 15y ago
  thanks pal...
rsobers 15y ago
I understand what you're trying to get at, Jason. I too have sympathy for those who legitimately can't get a break no matter how hard they try (war vets, the disabled, etc.). But some of these kids have been given opportunity and are too lazy to take it. I walk by the Wall Street protesters every morning on my way to work. Most of them are still asleep at 8am while the Wall Street guys have been busting their asses for 3 hours already. Most bankers are greedy and cutthroat and don't create value. But while some are motivated to obtain wealth in order to buy yachts and sports cars, I'd say most hate their jobs and are slogging away to provide the best possible lives for their families.