Why not describe YC as more of a nonlinear amplifier? In this case nonlinear effects (feedback loops, etc) may have to be considered. (For example, potential ap

Why not describe YC as more of a nonlinear amplifier? In this case nonlinear effects (feedback loops, etc) may have to be considered. (For example, potential applicants see that they are very unlike successful YC applicants, and so decide not to apply.) A related thought is, what if trustworthiness is inherently genetic? We know that YC uses videos to screen for trustworthiness and research suggests that trustworthiness genes can be picked up from behavioral and physical cues. http://blog.united-academics.org/2710/do-you-have-the-trustworthy-gene-a-stranger-will-know-within-20-seconds/ http://blog.united-academics.org/2710/do-you-have-the-trustw... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19344725 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19344725 Yet another related thought: PG once quoted Caesar as not trusting thin men. This idea may have scientific basis: dietary fats stimulate oxytocin production. http://paleohacks.com/questions/56261/dietary-fats-reduce-carb-cravings-via-oxytocin-secretion-sugar-exacerbates-them#axzz1eHtkzBkg http://paleohacks.com/questions/56261/dietary-fats-reduce-ca... http://althouse.blogspot.com/2010/01/people-instinctively-know-what-caesar.html http://althouse.blogspot.com/2010/01/people-instinctively-kn... This stuff is related because it's important to ask whether a meritocracy should necessarily discount the single-generation advantages of genes. Disclaimer: I am skinny and have the AG variant.