4 ms·

I really don't like this article. I'm not saying that the author is right or wrong, but what is the author trying to accomplish? They aren't helping change the

by wasd 13y ago

I really don't like this article. I'm not saying that the author is right or wrong, but what is the author trying to accomplish? They aren't helping change the ecosystem or bring new conversations to the table. I feel like this feeds to pettiness and bitterness toward fellow entrepreneurs that you don't feel "deserve" it. Who cares what they raised? Who cares who they sold to? If you're doing what matters to you, it shouldn't matter.

mindcrime 13y ago
I feel like this feeds to pettiness and bitterness toward fellow entrepreneurs that you don't feel "deserve" it. Who cares what they raised? Who cares who they sold to? Yeah, it's easy to look over and see somebody else failing (or succeeding) and just express "sour grapes" and accuse them of just "playing political games". That said, do politics enter into it on some level? Yeah, I'm sure they do. And I've been "the guy" before, watching other startups that I personally judge to be of very low quality and little potential get invited to events, get press coverage, etc., when we didn't. But to sit here and say "they got XXXX because they were just skilled at playing the political game" does feel like just "sour grapes" to me. And even if it were true, what good does it do to bitch about it? Nobody cares and crying over spilt milk isn't moving us any closer to our goals. I prefer to just stay heads-down, nose to the grindstone, work my ass off, and figure that we will succeed in the end, if it's deserved. We're playing the long-game here, and if our vision is correct and we execute, we'll get what's coming to us in the long term. If not, well... then we won't. If you're doing what matters to you, it shouldn't matter. Well said.
wmf 13y ago
Arguably if you're competing for funding it helps to have a model of your opponents.
dasil003 13y ago
It definitely reads as envy or sour grapes. One thing I always have in the back of my mind is to work hard to avoid hating anyone because they're good at what they do, and it's hard work because the human psyche is tremendously good at finding justifications and pulling the blinders over oneself. Tearing someone else down is the childish and easy way to build yourself up, but it's only in your own head, it doesn't actually make you any better and it doesn't impress anyone around you. Hate should be reserved for people who really do bad things, and even then we're probably better if we can avoid the hate entirely.
- michaelochurch 13y ago
  One thing I always have in the back of my mind is to work hard to avoid hating anyone because they're good at what they do Stop right there. None of us hate people who are good at what they do. When we find someone who's better, we seek that person out and try to learn as much as we can. I'd believe this to be especially true on HN, where there's an above-normal proportion of top-5% programmers, many of whom rarely get that opportunity to learn from someone of truly superior skill. The problem with political players is that, while they suck at what they do, they're great at hacking evaluation processes and making themselves look superior. That hurts everyone (except them) because their shitty decisions and ideas result in a widespread proliferation of crap.
  - dasil003 13y ago
    Sure, sometimes. But if your company is not doing so hot and you see some ridiculous acquisition and think to yourself how the fuck did that happen, it's easy to jump to the conclusion that it's political bullshit when in fact you don't really know the whole story. You don't know what the tech is or what the real numbers are or what the purpose of the acquisition was. I think it's very easy to jump to a conclusion on an emotional basis, and our belief in our objectivity is what makes this all the more treacherous.

by wasd 13y ago

mindcrime 13y ago

I feel like this feeds to pettiness and bitterness toward fellow entrepreneurs that you don't feel "deserve" it. Who cares what they raised? Who cares who they sold to? Yeah, it's easy to look over and see somebody else failing (or succeeding) and just express "sour grapes" and accuse them of just "playing political games". That said, do politics enter into it on some level? Yeah, I'm sure they do. And I've been "the guy" before, watching other startups that I personally judge to be of very low quality and little potential get invited to events, get press coverage, etc., when we didn't. But to sit here and say "they got XXXX because they were just skilled at playing the political game" does feel like just "sour grapes" to me. And even if it were true, what good does it do to bitch about it? Nobody cares and crying over spilt milk isn't moving us any closer to our goals. I prefer to just stay heads-down, nose to the grindstone, work my ass off, and figure that we will succeed in the end, if it's deserved. We're playing the long-game here, and if our vision is correct and we execute, we'll get what's coming to us in the long term. If not, well... then we won't. If you're doing what matters to you, it shouldn't matter. Well said.

wmf 13y ago

Arguably if you're competing for funding it helps to have a model of your opponents.

dasil003 13y ago

It definitely reads as envy or sour grapes. One thing I always have in the back of my mind is to work hard to avoid hating anyone because they're good at what they do, and it's hard work because the human psyche is tremendously good at finding justifications and pulling the blinders over oneself. Tearing someone else down is the childish and easy way to build yourself up, but it's only in your own head, it doesn't actually make you any better and it doesn't impress anyone around you. Hate should be reserved for people who really do bad things, and even then we're probably better if we can avoid the hate entirely.

michaelochurch 13y ago
One thing I always have in the back of my mind is to work hard to avoid hating anyone because they're good at what they do Stop right there. None of us hate people who are good at what they do. When we find someone who's better, we seek that person out and try to learn as much as we can. I'd believe this to be especially true on HN, where there's an above-normal proportion of top-5% programmers, many of whom rarely get that opportunity to learn from someone of truly superior skill. The problem with political players is that, while they suck at what they do, they're great at hacking evaluation processes and making themselves look superior. That hurts everyone (except them) because their shitty decisions and ideas result in a widespread proliferation of crap.
- dasil003 13y ago
  Sure, sometimes. But if your company is not doing so hot and you see some ridiculous acquisition and think to yourself how the fuck did that happen, it's easy to jump to the conclusion that it's political bullshit when in fact you don't really know the whole story. You don't know what the tech is or what the real numbers are or what the purpose of the acquisition was. I think it's very easy to jump to a conclusion on an emotional basis, and our belief in our objectivity is what makes this all the more treacherous.