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The thing I try to keep in mind most when dealing with these kinds of blog posts is that something that must be helpful to a majority of its audience will inevi

The thing I try to keep in mind most when dealing with these kinds of blog posts is that something that must be helpful to a majority of its audience will inevitably lose a lot of the value it can provide to each individual.

chubot 3y ago
It is a bit weirdly generalized I kept trying to read between the lines for the domain PG is known for and writes most frequently about — startups But a lot of the writing seems to apply to achievements in math, science, art, and literature I think the latter four domains have a lot more in common with each other than they have in common with startups And PG seems to write and claim expertise largely in startups, although certainly he has experience in many areas and is well read So it would be nice to address that, otherwise it does seem less useful I’d agree the first part of the essay generalizes, but have my doubts about many points deeper in the essay
- chubot 3y ago
  Just to elaborate on what bugged me about this essay -- probably the most important part for many domains is a single sentence, the last one in this paragraph: Most of us can benefit from collaborating with colleagues, but some projects require people on a larger scale, and starting one of those is not for everyone. If you want to run a project like that, you'll have to become a manager, and managing well takes aptitude and interest like any other kind of work. If you don't have them, there is no middle path: you must either force yourself to learn management as a second language, or avoid such projects "You must force yourself to learn management" is not very useful It's basically like saying "go run a marathon in a world record time" --- And I'd say that's the KEY difference between companies and math/art/literature The former are necessarily collaborative -- YC even says that PREFER co-founders; they reject solo founders Whereas math/art/literature has more of a solo feel, and so does this essay, despite the fact that PG is accomplished more in the collaborative domains Science these days is probably more like a company, more collaborative. A hundred years ago it was probably closer to math So I would have preferred to read about one kind of endeavor or the other; as is, it's something of a mish-mash that's not too actionable It's more of a "cheering section" for people working mostly alone, not really practical advice --- That said, I do appreciate his turns of phrase (going diagonally across the tracks), and the metaphor of reaching the edge of knowledge, it fractally expanding, etc. (It's probably more that I've already gotten these ideas from his previous essays, which are mostly great)
moneywoes 3y ago
Where do you go for specific advice, upwork?

chubot 3y ago

It is a bit weirdly generalized I kept trying to read between the lines for the domain PG is known for and writes most frequently about — startups But a lot of the writing seems to apply to achievements in math, science, art, and literature I think the latter four domains have a lot more in common with each other than they have in common with startups And PG seems to write and claim expertise largely in startups, although certainly he has experience in many areas and is well read So it would be nice to address that, otherwise it does seem less useful I’d agree the first part of the essay generalizes, but have my doubts about many points deeper in the essay

chubot 3y ago
Just to elaborate on what bugged me about this essay -- probably the most important part for many domains is a single sentence, the last one in this paragraph: Most of us can benefit from collaborating with colleagues, but some projects require people on a larger scale, and starting one of those is not for everyone. If you want to run a project like that, you'll have to become a manager, and managing well takes aptitude and interest like any other kind of work. If you don't have them, there is no middle path: you must either force yourself to learn management as a second language, or avoid such projects "You must force yourself to learn management" is not very useful It's basically like saying "go run a marathon in a world record time" --- And I'd say that's the KEY difference between companies and math/art/literature The former are necessarily collaborative -- YC even says that PREFER co-founders; they reject solo founders Whereas math/art/literature has more of a solo feel, and so does this essay, despite the fact that PG is accomplished more in the collaborative domains Science these days is probably more like a company, more collaborative. A hundred years ago it was probably closer to math So I would have preferred to read about one kind of endeavor or the other; as is, it's something of a mish-mash that's not too actionable It's more of a "cheering section" for people working mostly alone, not really practical advice --- That said, I do appreciate his turns of phrase (going diagonally across the tracks), and the metaphor of reaching the edge of knowledge, it fractally expanding, etc. (It's probably more that I've already gotten these ideas from his previous essays, which are mostly great)

moneywoes 3y ago

Where do you go for specific advice, upwork?