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However, it seems pretty unfair. I've met maybe 30 people who have gotten rich from startups. None have really changed all that much. There's plenty to parody
by pbiggar 14y ago
However, it seems pretty unfair. I've met maybe 30 people who have gotten rich from startups. None have really changed all that much.
There's plenty to parody (pivoting, easy money, demographics, ivy league obsession, VCs, new angel investors, the term "disrupt") but how people handle success is really not one of them.
- maayank 14y agoHaving a very high paying job after right after college is also a success that can be handled in interesting (not to say wrong) ways. Earning very well (just regular IT software engineering salary) when you're in your very early 20s is a thing.
- pbiggar 14y agoThat's a good point - I've certainly met plenty of people on 100K who think they are god's gift because they know Rails and are in high demand.
- chiph 14y agoPivoting could easily become the show's running gag. Just before closing credits: "Well, that space looks like it's going nowhere. We've decided to pivot and focus on coupons for pet owners, and it'll have a really big social aspect to it too." Next week: "Well, it turns out that cat owners don't get out much, so we're pivoting. We think that what they really want is to stream music over their pet's collar" Third episode: "Well, who knew that Cocker Spaniels are frightened by Ke$ha? So we're pivoting, and what we're going to focus on now is overnight construction materials delivery. Concrete mix, FedEx'd to your door!"
- wyclif 14y agoThat, and hoodies.
- redthrowaway 14y agoSince when did comedy have to be fair? It's the Rule of Funny: if it makes people laugh, it's worthwhile for that fact alone.
- Alex3917 14y agoComedians don't have to be fair, but humorists do.
- NeilRShah 14y agoCould you clarify that?
- pbiggar 14y agoI'm guessing that he means that parody only works when what you're parodying is real.
- redthrowaway 14y agoThat's more satire. Parody can take the ball and run with it as far as it chooses; satire can only be relevant if its characterization has a degree of verisimilitude.
- pbiggar 14y agoFair. In addition, the target audience of the show are unlikely to know very much about the valley. I would expect most people believe the valley is "kids from Harvard who think they're hot shit, trying to get rich doing something useless".
- redthrowaway 14y agoActually, I'd say that's more an in-valley appraisal. I suspect non-tech types would simply view SV as computer nerds finding ways to make millions. Now that Jobs is gone, the industry is dominated by nerd CEOs. Ballmer doesn't count. We have, in the Valley, a preponderance of companies started and run by nerds. I suspect that reality has leaked into the public consciousness.
- RyJones 14y agoWe clearly know different people. I worked with plenty of people that won the Microsoft lottery, and to say they changed would be understating it.
- pbiggar 14y agoThat's a different culture though - conspicuous consumption is pretty frowned upon in the valley (excepting Sand Hill Road, which is a culture all of its own). For example, at the Facebook IPO, everyone was warned about coming to work in new sports cars.
- RyJones 14y agoI agree that the valley isn't Seattle; good on Facebook for the warning. I used to park my multi-hundred dollar car out by the sports cars at what is now Facebook's campus; drag races out the main exit, over the railroad tracks, and on through EPA were not unheard of. Here's my view of the Valley from 1997: http://blog.ryjones.org/2006/10/21/welcome-to-the-bay-area/ http://blog.ryjones.org/2006/10/21/welcome-to-the-bay-area/
- jff 14y agoConspicuous non-consumption: writing blog posts about how you live so minimally, throwing everything out and buying new things when you move. Just a Macbook ($2000) and an Apple display ($1000) and an Aeron chair ($800) and the "perfect" desk ($1000, sit-stand), plus a mattress tossed in the corner... in your $2000/month downtown S.F. apartment.