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If his 'outsiderness' is so irritating and alarming that's just nicely dressed up xenophobia. And from what I've seen of it SiliconValley is not much prone to

by 0x12 15y ago

If his 'outsiderness' is so irritating and alarming that's just nicely dressed up xenophobia. And from what I've seen of it SiliconValley is not much prone to that. So why is it different with Milner?

antimarketing 15y ago
First of all, an attempt at a correction to one of the motives of the article. I think Milner's jewish background has nothing to do with his success. His family, while Jewish, had and still have a complete worldview that only a member of the russain intelligentsia can have. It is such a bizarre and wonderful world-view and way of life that it defies my abilities to explain — being delicate among a world of merciless brutality. The cultural class of Russia really are a class apart. I suspect that the influence of growing up surrounded by cultured Russians, as few of them as they were in Soviet Times is why he always stands a little bit disconnected from the crowd. The air of Russian culture is gentle but always restless. Russia is a land of big crowds but the intelligent among that people always desire to be a little bit aloof, if not in solitude.
bluekeybox 15y ago
A significant percentage of oligarchs from the former USSR carry a very bad reputation because the means through which they became rich are often suspect and shrouded in secrecy, which is understandable given the lawlessness of the 1990s in that region, and which to some extent continues to this day. Russia since the collapse of the USSR has been a lot like certain parts of the U.S. were during the time of the Prohibition -- giving orders to physically terminate rivals is or was daily business. After finding out more about Milner, I am now more convinced that he is not at all the "robber baron" Al Capone type, but a genuine businessman who is both lucky and smart. Wrote this just to explain the possible reasons behind the initial worry, being myself from the former USSR. I think this also explains why Milner cares about establishing a reputation in the Silicon Valley as opposed to being completely aloof to what other people think.
- tptacek 15y ago
  When part of what makes you "smart" is the hands you choose to shake, and the most lucrative hands are also the ones buying all the television stations and running the shadow government... Al Capone wasn't a robber baron. He was a criminal entrepreneur. The robber barons have universities, foundations, and financial institutions named after them. The distinction between mobsters and robber barons is germane.
  - bluekeybox 15y ago
    > When part of what makes you "smart" is the hands you choose to shake Why is picking correct friends wrong all of a sudden? > buying all the television stations Surely you mean buying television stations from one of the most vile and controlling governments in the history of the world.
    - tptacek 15y ago
      You have a disappointing perspective on what makes friendships "correct", but that might just be because I believe we have an immortal soul. And yes, when the TV stations are bought by companies that are effectively instruments of the state: that's a bad thing. The ruling party shouldn't buy TV stations. Your beef isn't with me, though. Re-read this thread. I'm hardly the most cynical person here. I can sum my take on it up this way: I'd like to believe I wouldn't accept Milner money, even if I needed it; at the same time, people I consider friends have accepted it, and I don't think less of them for it.
      - palish 15y ago
        I'm interested in hearing more of your personal beliefs (re: soul).
        tptacek 15y ago
        They aren't interesting but if you'd like to email me, feel free.
DilipJ 15y ago
The Valley doesn't care about a person's ethnicity, as long as they generated their wealth through legitimate means. Milner, on the other hand, is nothing more than a frontman for Alisher Usmanov, who basically accrued everything through wholescale theft of state resources. Basically, Milner is a crook, and if there was any justice in the world he and Usmanov would be in jail for what they have done. But there isn't, and there are people in the Valley who are willing to overlook ethics if you have enough money. The fact that Milner is now working with YC is a sad testament to that fact.
- jedberg 15y ago
  I'm not denying this fact, but do you have any evidence for your claims?
  - tptacek 15y ago
    Usmanov holds the largest stake in Milner's Digital Sky fund. It's probably going to be hard to get a bead on Usmanov. He's a CIS state extractive industry billionaire with close ties to Gazprom, itself an instrument of the security state. That's unsettling. But then, it creates a huge incentive for people to villify him.
- pg 15y ago
  VCs are not so high minded that they're offended by who his LPs are, believe me. The reason VCs don't like Yuri is that he is disturbing the cosy world they formerly inhabited by offering more founder friendly terms. So morally the situation is not as simple as your comment implies.
  - chunkybacon 15y ago
    Actually, it would seem to be just as simple as he implies. VCs in the valley care only about money and don't give a hoot about morality. You haven't debated the fact that Milner is linked to the looting of state resources; you've simply said that anyone else would also take his money if they could. Makes all you VCs and Angels in the Valley seem like dogs fighting over a doggie biscuit -- or in this case, the looted flesh and bones of the Russian people.
jcampbell1 15y ago
Xenophobia is an unreasonable fear of outsiders. The VC community should rationally dislike him because he is driving down the risk adjusted rate of return for VC investment, and backed by an endless supply of funds that traditional VCs have no access to. Of course, startup founders and tech employees should embrace him for the same reason. As for his character, I don't think he is picked on anymore than Donald Trump. I reserve the right to make jokes about both of them.

by 0x12 15y ago

antimarketing 15y ago

First of all, an attempt at a correction to one of the motives of the article. I think Milner's jewish background has nothing to do with his success. His family, while Jewish, had and still have a complete worldview that only a member of the russain intelligentsia can have. It is such a bizarre and wonderful world-view and way of life that it defies my abilities to explain — being delicate among a world of merciless brutality. The cultural class of Russia really are a class apart. I suspect that the influence of growing up surrounded by cultured Russians, as few of them as they were in Soviet Times is why he always stands a little bit disconnected from the crowd. The air of Russian culture is gentle but always restless. Russia is a land of big crowds but the intelligent among that people always desire to be a little bit aloof, if not in solitude.

bluekeybox 15y ago

A significant percentage of oligarchs from the former USSR carry a very bad reputation because the means through which they became rich are often suspect and shrouded in secrecy, which is understandable given the lawlessness of the 1990s in that region, and which to some extent continues to this day. Russia since the collapse of the USSR has been a lot like certain parts of the U.S. were during the time of the Prohibition -- giving orders to physically terminate rivals is or was daily business. After finding out more about Milner, I am now more convinced that he is not at all the "robber baron" Al Capone type, but a genuine businessman who is both lucky and smart. Wrote this just to explain the possible reasons behind the initial worry, being myself from the former USSR. I think this also explains why Milner cares about establishing a reputation in the Silicon Valley as opposed to being completely aloof to what other people think.

tptacek 15y ago
When part of what makes you "smart" is the hands you choose to shake, and the most lucrative hands are also the ones buying all the television stations and running the shadow government... Al Capone wasn't a robber baron. He was a criminal entrepreneur. The robber barons have universities, foundations, and financial institutions named after them. The distinction between mobsters and robber barons is germane.
- bluekeybox 15y ago
  > When part of what makes you "smart" is the hands you choose to shake Why is picking correct friends wrong all of a sudden? > buying all the television stations Surely you mean buying television stations from one of the most vile and controlling governments in the history of the world.
  - tptacek 15y ago
    You have a disappointing perspective on what makes friendships "correct", but that might just be because I believe we have an immortal soul. And yes, when the TV stations are bought by companies that are effectively instruments of the state: that's a bad thing. The ruling party shouldn't buy TV stations. Your beef isn't with me, though. Re-read this thread. I'm hardly the most cynical person here. I can sum my take on it up this way: I'd like to believe I wouldn't accept Milner money, even if I needed it; at the same time, people I consider friends have accepted it, and I don't think less of them for it.
    - palish 15y ago
      I'm interested in hearing more of your personal beliefs (re: soul).
      - tptacek 15y ago
        They aren't interesting but if you'd like to email me, feel free.

DilipJ 15y ago

The Valley doesn't care about a person's ethnicity, as long as they generated their wealth through legitimate means. Milner, on the other hand, is nothing more than a frontman for Alisher Usmanov, who basically accrued everything through wholescale theft of state resources. Basically, Milner is a crook, and if there was any justice in the world he and Usmanov would be in jail for what they have done. But there isn't, and there are people in the Valley who are willing to overlook ethics if you have enough money. The fact that Milner is now working with YC is a sad testament to that fact.

jedberg 15y ago
I'm not denying this fact, but do you have any evidence for your claims?
- tptacek 15y ago
  Usmanov holds the largest stake in Milner's Digital Sky fund. It's probably going to be hard to get a bead on Usmanov. He's a CIS state extractive industry billionaire with close ties to Gazprom, itself an instrument of the security state. That's unsettling. But then, it creates a huge incentive for people to villify him.
pg 15y ago
VCs are not so high minded that they're offended by who his LPs are, believe me. The reason VCs don't like Yuri is that he is disturbing the cosy world they formerly inhabited by offering more founder friendly terms. So morally the situation is not as simple as your comment implies.
- chunkybacon 15y ago
  Actually, it would seem to be just as simple as he implies. VCs in the valley care only about money and don't give a hoot about morality. You haven't debated the fact that Milner is linked to the looting of state resources; you've simply said that anyone else would also take his money if they could. Makes all you VCs and Angels in the Valley seem like dogs fighting over a doggie biscuit -- or in this case, the looted flesh and bones of the Russian people.

jcampbell1 15y ago

Xenophobia is an unreasonable fear of outsiders. The VC community should rationally dislike him because he is driving down the risk adjusted rate of return for VC investment, and backed by an endless supply of funds that traditional VCs have no access to. Of course, startup founders and tech employees should embrace him for the same reason. As for his character, I don't think he is picked on anymore than Donald Trump. I reserve the right to make jokes about both of them.