There are several factors here and I haven't seen anybody post them: -PG has surely seen lots of mistakes like the op was going to do. -He has seen how they e

There are several factors here and I haven't seen anybody post them: -PG has surely seen lots of mistakes like the op was going to do. -He has seen how they end. -he has tried persuading those founders in several ways, and probably failed too many times to be satisfied. -probably (I don't know PG beyond his essays and concerences) he knew that giving polite advice was the best way to keep the OP on his track to failure. -so be did the equivalent of a Doctor starting a CPR: a heavy punch to the chest. That may seem a rude behavior to a external observer, but in fact he is saving a live. I suppose that his mean comment was studied and acted, not REALLY emotional. But it worked none the less, it doesn't matter what other people think about that, his role is to keep startups growing, not external people happy about his kindness. PD. CPR (CRP in spanish) and the enter button doesn´t seem to work on the Iphone.