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> I think those attributes are evenly spread into all countries, but equally I think they are uncommon in all countries. The data does not support your stateme

> I think those attributes are evenly spread into all countries, but equally I think they are uncommon in all countries. The data does not support your statement. From a startup report just four days ago: The United States alone generates 46.6% of all startup activity worldwide, nearly half of the global total. Together with China (9.2%), the United Kingdom (5.6%), and India (5%), these four countries account for 66.4% of the absolute global startup activity. I will give you that Israel in particular has a strong risk taking culture, as does Singapore and Estonia. And there are a lot of startups coming out of there. But overall the US has way more risk taking. And like I said at the very beginning, there are of course exceptions. Yes, every culture has some brilliant risk takers. But at least until recently, many of them came to the USA after they got successful.

watwut 1y ago
Creativity and startup are two different things. Many of those startups are not creative in any way. And conversely being creative does not imply creating a company. This is about how capital work. America is unique in way it businessmen tend to think that creating a business is the only way to be creative. And incidentally, post was about employee creativity.
matusp 1y ago
There is startup activity in the US because there is enough capital to fund it. Getting funding for a startup even in pretty rich countries in EU is more difficult by an order of magnitude.
- nxm 1y ago
  It’s not just funding but also bankruptcy laws are written in a way that encourages entrepreneurship, while not being overburdened by regulations
closewith 1y ago
It's interesting that your metrics for creativity and risk taking are financial. I think you should reflect on that.
- Imustaskforhelp 1y ago
  This is the best HN comment I have ever seen. So elegant. I am going to use, "I think you should reflect on that" line from now on. This line is just pleasant to me, seems professional and actually inviting to a discussion while also showcasing the hidden irony of the original case that you pointed out. This is art, mr white!
  - viridian 1y ago
    I would advise against it, personally. Its a passive aggressive, thought terminating cliche that might as well be saying "I know better than you".
    - closewith 1y ago
      > Its a passive aggressive, I think it's read as passive aggressive when people realise they've been holding a silly opinion don't want to admit it. > thought terminating cliche The irony. > that might as well be saying "I know better than you". Sometimes people do know better than you. I think I should reflect on that.
      - viridian 1y ago
        You've made my case for me, if by "I think I should reflect on that", you do in fact mean "[you've] been holding a silly opinion don't want to admit it". The former is a passive-aggressive way to say the latter. I aim to, and encourage others to say what they mean.
        closewith 1y ago
        All jokes aside, the commenter I initially replied to really should reflect on why their concept of creativity and risk tolerance is so linked with financial outcomes, because that is a very particular association and it maybe informs their worldwide more than they may realise. > The former is a passive-aggressive way to say the latter. I aim to, and encourage others to say what they mean. I suppose you don't see the irony?
pkolaczk 1y ago
It's not so much about risk taking as about getting proper funding and overcoming the bureaucracy barriers. E.g. Poland itself has very low startup rates, but somehow Poles which go to USA create things like OpenAI ;)
bruce511 1y ago
um, So VC funded startups are the very definition of "not risky". Basically you'll do something as long as someone else ponies up a big pile of cash to pay for it. Pretty much any other business model, where you build with your own time, or money, capital is much more risky. Equally I don't think this is an argument for American exceptionalism (which is the point under discussion.)

watwut 1y ago

Creativity and startup are two different things. Many of those startups are not creative in any way. And conversely being creative does not imply creating a company. This is about how capital work. America is unique in way it businessmen tend to think that creating a business is the only way to be creative. And incidentally, post was about employee creativity.

matusp 1y ago

There is startup activity in the US because there is enough capital to fund it. Getting funding for a startup even in pretty rich countries in EU is more difficult by an order of magnitude.

nxm 1y ago
It’s not just funding but also bankruptcy laws are written in a way that encourages entrepreneurship, while not being overburdened by regulations

closewith 1y ago

It's interesting that your metrics for creativity and risk taking are financial. I think you should reflect on that.

Imustaskforhelp 1y ago
This is the best HN comment I have ever seen. So elegant. I am going to use, "I think you should reflect on that" line from now on. This line is just pleasant to me, seems professional and actually inviting to a discussion while also showcasing the hidden irony of the original case that you pointed out. This is art, mr white!
- viridian 1y ago
  I would advise against it, personally. Its a passive aggressive, thought terminating cliche that might as well be saying "I know better than you".
  - closewith 1y ago
    > Its a passive aggressive, I think it's read as passive aggressive when people realise they've been holding a silly opinion don't want to admit it. > thought terminating cliche The irony. > that might as well be saying "I know better than you". Sometimes people do know better than you. I think I should reflect on that.
    - viridian 1y ago
      You've made my case for me, if by "I think I should reflect on that", you do in fact mean "[you've] been holding a silly opinion don't want to admit it". The former is a passive-aggressive way to say the latter. I aim to, and encourage others to say what they mean.
      - closewith 1y ago
        All jokes aside, the commenter I initially replied to really should reflect on why their concept of creativity and risk tolerance is so linked with financial outcomes, because that is a very particular association and it maybe informs their worldwide more than they may realise. > The former is a passive-aggressive way to say the latter. I aim to, and encourage others to say what they mean. I suppose you don't see the irony?

pkolaczk 1y ago

It's not so much about risk taking as about getting proper funding and overcoming the bureaucracy barriers. E.g. Poland itself has very low startup rates, but somehow Poles which go to USA create things like OpenAI ;)

bruce511 1y ago

um, So VC funded startups are the very definition of "not risky". Basically you'll do something as long as someone else ponies up a big pile of cash to pay for it. Pretty much any other business model, where you build with your own time, or money, capital is much more risky. Equally I don't think this is an argument for American exceptionalism (which is the point under discussion.)