5 ms·

I don't understand why people are making such a big fuss about the PG article. He gave only one example of so many red hearing. Obviously being a foreigner with

by d0m 13y ago

I don't understand why people are making such a big fuss about the PG article. He gave only one example of so many red hearing. Obviously being a foreigner with a strong accent doesn't help you when 90% of your time is spent communicating. duh. What makes me sad is that by being honest and wanting to help founders, PG just got a new shit load of problems from people over-reacting. Do you really think he'll give great, but controversial, feedback in his next interviews/articles?

kome 13y ago
The problem of PG (and yours) it's the lack on empathy, simply as that. Like "antirez" says, English is not a hobby: English is pushed down the throat of a growing share of people around the world today. And they need English to live a normal life, not for fancy careers. Imagine yourself to be forced to speak Japanese to gain your money, because you have no alternatives. How you would feel if all your efforts will be worthless just because you're born in the wrong side of the world, and you sound funny. The problem is that many English speaker have no idea how is like to learn another language, hence they lack of empathy.
- d0m 13y ago
  First of all, I'm a foreigner, English is clearly not my native language and I have problems every day because of it. So yeah, native english speakers have it easier. But so what? Nobody said life was supposed to be easy and that everyone was created with the same skills and weaknesses. Some people are prettier, others are taller, other speak better english. Not acknowledging this is only hypocrisy. What PG said is that if you want to put the chance on your side, learning to speak a better english is a very important skill. Imagine yourself to be forced to speak Japanese to gain your money, because you have no alternatives. That's life. Learn it, move on. Or I can, you know, not learn it correctly, gain less money and have it even harder. I can understand having empathy for some people where English is pushed down their throat. But, for founders applying to YC and going to the Valley? Please. Why would anyone invest any money or take seriously a CEO that doesn't take his/her work seriously. (Yes, communicating well for a CEO is very important. What about a programmer that can't code?) Imagine a Steve Jobs explaining to the world how Apple is great with a foreign accent that nobody can't understand. The school you went to matters. Your height matters. Your appearance matters. Your family matters. Where you live matters. The amount of money you have matters. It always been and will always be. Faster you understand it and start putting the chances on your side, the better you will be.
  - Oletros 13y ago
    And how to show a totally lack of empathy and missing the point
- omonra 13y ago
  'If you want a friend - get a dog'. Likewise, if you want empathy, watch Oprah. I believe there needs to be room for honest realistic views to be voiced - even if you don't like the reality they describe. PG did not say that janitors need to polish their accent - he's talking about startup founders. These are the guys that want to strike it rich, let's be real. If you want to "make it" in this part of the world, deal with the fact that command of English is expected from company founders here. And yes - it's not my native language either.

by d0m 13y ago

kome 13y ago

The problem of PG (and yours) it's the lack on empathy, simply as that. Like "antirez" says, English is not a hobby: English is pushed down the throat of a growing share of people around the world today. And they need English to live a normal life, not for fancy careers. Imagine yourself to be forced to speak Japanese to gain your money, because you have no alternatives. How you would feel if all your efforts will be worthless just because you're born in the wrong side of the world, and you sound funny. The problem is that many English speaker have no idea how is like to learn another language, hence they lack of empathy.

d0m 13y ago
First of all, I'm a foreigner, English is clearly not my native language and I have problems every day because of it. So yeah, native english speakers have it easier. But so what? Nobody said life was supposed to be easy and that everyone was created with the same skills and weaknesses. Some people are prettier, others are taller, other speak better english. Not acknowledging this is only hypocrisy. What PG said is that if you want to put the chance on your side, learning to speak a better english is a very important skill. Imagine yourself to be forced to speak Japanese to gain your money, because you have no alternatives. That's life. Learn it, move on. Or I can, you know, not learn it correctly, gain less money and have it even harder. I can understand having empathy for some people where English is pushed down their throat. But, for founders applying to YC and going to the Valley? Please. Why would anyone invest any money or take seriously a CEO that doesn't take his/her work seriously. (Yes, communicating well for a CEO is very important. What about a programmer that can't code?) Imagine a Steve Jobs explaining to the world how Apple is great with a foreign accent that nobody can't understand. The school you went to matters. Your height matters. Your appearance matters. Your family matters. Where you live matters. The amount of money you have matters. It always been and will always be. Faster you understand it and start putting the chances on your side, the better you will be.
- Oletros 13y ago
  And how to show a totally lack of empathy and missing the point
omonra 13y ago
'If you want a friend - get a dog'. Likewise, if you want empathy, watch Oprah. I believe there needs to be room for honest realistic views to be voiced - even if you don't like the reality they describe. PG did not say that janitors need to polish their accent - he's talking about startup founders. These are the guys that want to strike it rich, let's be real. If you want to "make it" in this part of the world, deal with the fact that command of English is expected from company founders here. And yes - it's not my native language either.