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I'm so jaded by modern startups and venture industry. There are people who've built entire careers building unprofitable companies that only sell products to ot

by spaceman_2020 3y ago

I'm so jaded by modern startups and venture industry. There are people who've built entire careers building unprofitable companies that only sell products to other unprofitable startups and eventually get acquired by other unprofitable startups. It's a gigantic game of hot potato that swallows up a gigantic pool of human talent, all for producing stuff that really adds little to no positive to the world. If they're not disrupting (read: destroying) local economies, they're breaking all local rules and regulations. And despite playing fast and loose with any sense of ethics or legal compliance, they still can't be profitable. Just end this ponzi.

mdgrech23 3y ago
This is our world right now. My wifes father was a plumber. She said as actual plumber, you know someone who provides water and ensures your shity is sanitarily drained away he didn't make really good money. He got a job working for the auto industry running pipes for hydraulics to the machines on the factory floor and made way more money. How is that worth more to our society?
- MichaelZuo 3y ago
  Why wouldn't factory machine hydraulics for the auto industry be more important then an individual's toilet?
  - wslh 3y ago
    Also, a Zen monk will have a different perspective about value. There are people who value the entertainment from TikTok while others prefer to read a book.
  - mcdonje 3y ago
    Because poor sanitation is a disease vector that can kill people and ruin communities. A working toilet is an unmitigated good. Cars on the other hand have a much more questionable value proposition. They turn cities into parking lots shrouded in smog and significantly contribute to climate change. Even if cars only contributed in positive ways, they're still not necessary to a functioning society the way that sanitation is.
    - MichaelZuo 3y ago
      Well considering all UN countries explicitly authorize auto purchasing, ownership, resale, etc., and that the governments of all the major countries actively help their own auto industries, I would say your a bit outvoted on this opinion.
      - mcdonje 3y ago
        Most of what I said was not opinion, and your point here refutes none of mine. Appeal to authority fallacy, with maybe a bit of appeal to tradition mixed in.
        MichaelZuo 3y ago
        > Most of what I said was not opinion, and your point here refutes none of mine. Appeal to authority fallacy, with maybe a bit of appeal to tradition mixed in. Huh? > A working toilet is an unmitigated good. Seems like an opinion, since 'unmitigated good' seems like an impossible thing to prove. Only one counterexample of plausible harm is needed. > Cars on the other hand have a much more questionable value proposition. It's even phrased as an opinion. > Even if cars only contributed in positive ways, they're still not necessary to a functioning society the way that sanitation is. Sounds like an opinion too. If none of these are opinions, then can you clarify what you intended them to be?
        mcdonje 3y ago
        >Only one counterexample of plausible harm is needed. Ok, where's your example of plausible harm for a working sanitation system? >It's even phrased as an opinion. That sentence is, sure. Weird how you left out the supporting examples. >Sounds like an opinion too. Why? Because of phrasing? Consider the repercussions of a city having transportation issues vs a city having sanitation issues. Nobody who knows anything on these subjects would say transportation is more important than sanitation. It boggles the mind you think it's just an opinion that cars are as important as a working sanitation system. How many cities have car free districts? How many cities have sanitation free districts?
- spaceman_2020 3y ago
  These startups aren't even making pipes in a factory. They're building absolutely dumb stuff that offer marginal life improvements ("15-minute delivery") or no improvements at all (crypto). Literally tens of billions have flowed into startups in just the above two categories. If both were to disappear from the face of the Earth tomorrow, you'd miss them for about 5 seconds.
  - spondylosaurus 3y ago
    Don't forget all the apps that do nothing! Am amazing example I saw recently was a startup whose app supposedly helped you break your monthly rent payment into two smaller biweekly payments, except all it did was hold on to part of your midmonth paycheck until the end of the month so you couldn't spend it. The best part is that was positioned as a way to help low-income people who suck at budgeting, but you had to pay $20/mo for the privilege of using it.

mdgrech23 3y ago

This is our world right now. My wifes father was a plumber. She said as actual plumber, you know someone who provides water and ensures your shity is sanitarily drained away he didn't make really good money. He got a job working for the auto industry running pipes for hydraulics to the machines on the factory floor and made way more money. How is that worth more to our society?

MichaelZuo 3y ago
Why wouldn't factory machine hydraulics for the auto industry be more important then an individual's toilet?
- wslh 3y ago
  Also, a Zen monk will have a different perspective about value. There are people who value the entertainment from TikTok while others prefer to read a book.
- mcdonje 3y ago
  Because poor sanitation is a disease vector that can kill people and ruin communities. A working toilet is an unmitigated good. Cars on the other hand have a much more questionable value proposition. They turn cities into parking lots shrouded in smog and significantly contribute to climate change. Even if cars only contributed in positive ways, they're still not necessary to a functioning society the way that sanitation is.
  - MichaelZuo 3y ago
    Well considering all UN countries explicitly authorize auto purchasing, ownership, resale, etc., and that the governments of all the major countries actively help their own auto industries, I would say your a bit outvoted on this opinion.
    - mcdonje 3y ago
      Most of what I said was not opinion, and your point here refutes none of mine. Appeal to authority fallacy, with maybe a bit of appeal to tradition mixed in.
      - MichaelZuo 3y ago
        > Most of what I said was not opinion, and your point here refutes none of mine. Appeal to authority fallacy, with maybe a bit of appeal to tradition mixed in. Huh? > A working toilet is an unmitigated good. Seems like an opinion, since 'unmitigated good' seems like an impossible thing to prove. Only one counterexample of plausible harm is needed. > Cars on the other hand have a much more questionable value proposition. It's even phrased as an opinion. > Even if cars only contributed in positive ways, they're still not necessary to a functioning society the way that sanitation is. Sounds like an opinion too. If none of these are opinions, then can you clarify what you intended them to be?
        mcdonje 3y ago
        >Only one counterexample of plausible harm is needed. Ok, where's your example of plausible harm for a working sanitation system? >It's even phrased as an opinion. That sentence is, sure. Weird how you left out the supporting examples. >Sounds like an opinion too. Why? Because of phrasing? Consider the repercussions of a city having transportation issues vs a city having sanitation issues. Nobody who knows anything on these subjects would say transportation is more important than sanitation. It boggles the mind you think it's just an opinion that cars are as important as a working sanitation system. How many cities have car free districts? How many cities have sanitation free districts?
spaceman_2020 3y ago
These startups aren't even making pipes in a factory. They're building absolutely dumb stuff that offer marginal life improvements ("15-minute delivery") or no improvements at all (crypto). Literally tens of billions have flowed into startups in just the above two categories. If both were to disappear from the face of the Earth tomorrow, you'd miss them for about 5 seconds.
- spondylosaurus 3y ago
  Don't forget all the apps that do nothing! Am amazing example I saw recently was a startup whose app supposedly helped you break your monthly rent payment into two smaller biweekly payments, except all it did was hold on to part of your midmonth paycheck until the end of the month so you couldn't spend it. The best part is that was positioned as a way to help low-income people who suck at budgeting, but you had to pay $20/mo for the privilege of using it.