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> This is a perfect example of the disconnect between "hackers" and the real world. You're reading way too much into this. The OP's story is completely unrelat

> This is a perfect example of the disconnect between "hackers" and the real world. You're reading way too much into this. The OP's story is completely unrelated to "hacker" culture or the faux-libertarian belief system that is fashionable in SF/SV. The OP's story is a perfect example of what happens when people who believe they're smarter than everyone else play games with people who don't play games. Nothing more. Nothing less. The OP wrote that he was told by a police officer that his presence was no longer needed and he was explicitly asked to leave the scene. Instead he stayed and as the situation deteriorated just about every one of his actions had the effect of making his situation worse. The common characteristic of each of the OP's actions? They were driven by the underlying belief that he was smarter than the people he was dealing with. With just a little effort he could convince the police officers to see things his way. And why not? Many "smart" people have never encountered a tricky situation they weren't able to wiggle out of using logic and reason. The OP simply learned that you can be too smart for your own good. But let's be clear... as bad as the police state is don't pretend that there aren't other groups that would have responded even more harshly to the OP's attempts to prove his intellectual superiority. Lesson? Please, understand that you're probably not that smart. Get yourself into avoidable situations that you have to try to talk your way out of at your own peril.

roryokane 13y ago
I wouldn’t really say that the OP thought he was smarter than the police officers. He believed could clear up a misunderstanding just by talking – and that may be naive, but it’s not arrogant. Now, if he knew that he had done something wrong and thought he could argue his way out of trouble, that might be thinking he was smarter than those who would get him in trouble. But he was just trying to clear up a misunderstanding – he wasn’t trying to fool anyone using cleverness. If anything, the OP was assuming that the police officers were equally smart as him, and thus intelligent enough to distinguish a threat from a misunderstood bystander.
- jessedhillon 13y ago
  He was also assuming that he didn't have to follow direct commands given to him because he was in posession of certain facts which, if the officers were made aware of them, would certainly countermand those orders. To someone who is in authority giving commands, to have those commands received as polite requests or invitation to debate, that could easily be perceived as "this guy thinks he's smart (or in charge)"
- nebstrebor 13y ago
  Keep in mind we only have his version of the story...
  - loup-vaillant 13y ago
    Well, he called 911 himself. I think this part won't change from version to version. Now how many people who call 911 when they witness an accident actually are a "problem" enough to warrant an arrest?
    - williamcotton 13y ago
      Only the drunk, self-entitled assholes like OP.
      - loup-vaillant 13y ago
        Drunk? I suppose you refer to the 3 drinks they had in the course of 3 hours. And they probably had eaten not long before. Self-entitled asshole… You mean, working in a startup, and tell the policemen when asked what he does for a living? And even if he was a drunk self-entitled asshole? Was he a hindrance? Was he dangerous in any way? My probability for both is extremely low. And even if he was a real hindrance or danger? Does that justify stomping on his fingers after having handcuffed him? No way. I understand you may trust cops. But Officer Korr specifically doesn't look too trustworthy: she got sued. Unless… the OP is actually lying. Not distorting the facts, or conveniently forgetting some details, and exaggerating others, but plain lying. That is indeed a possibility, but I'd think twice before suggesting it to the OP's face: if he wasn't lying, I'd be insulting a victim. Apparently, you're not that cautious.
        drpp 13y ago
        I (the author) understand the comments above and the reasonable skepticism about my self interest in portraying only one side of the story. I'm not an angel. This was avoidable. I can even understand the police perspective and sympathize with the difficulty of their job. For full transparency, I'm preparing a followup post with all of the assembled documentation, including the police report. And yet, this still should not have happened. But at the time, it was all very sudden. I was being yelled at while my friend (and co-founder of a yc company) was being manhandled. The fact that I was "obstructing with the emergency response" didn't enter the realm of possibility, as I was on the periphery of the scene and far away from the medics. The fact that I was at risk of being arrested didn't cross my mind until the moment I was tackled from behind. I tried to resolve my issue directly with the police. Mediation would have quelled my anger. Only when I felt that I wasn't being heard, I published. I didn't expect 365k views (and counting). I think that these situations are common, but rarely do the victims take the time to write the story in full detail. I've seen it happen to others, and felt powerless to interject. And now that it happened to me, I felt an obligation to do my best to write it as accurately as possible. In the least, it's an anthropological case study, and I hope you felt it was an informative story that was worth your reading time.
- madaxe_again 13y ago
  Ah, but trying to talk about a situation labels you as an elitist snob, or as Frito put it... "You talk like a fag, and your shit's all retarded".
Domenic_S 13y ago
> The OP's story is completely unrelated to "hacker" culture > [OP's actions] were driven by the underlying belief that he was smarter than the people he was dealing with. Not unrelated in the slightest, imo.
Anderkent 13y ago
> They were driven by the underlying belief that he was smarter than the people he was dealing with. With just a little effort he could convince the police officers to see things his way. Uh, where are you reading all that? The OP saw a friend being manhandled and didn't understood why. He said he'd like to go home with his friend. He got arrested. Where's the "I'm smarter than all these people" coming from?

roryokane 13y ago

I wouldn’t really say that the OP thought he was smarter than the police officers. He believed could clear up a misunderstanding just by talking – and that may be naive, but it’s not arrogant. Now, if he knew that he had done something wrong and thought he could argue his way out of trouble, that might be thinking he was smarter than those who would get him in trouble. But he was just trying to clear up a misunderstanding – he wasn’t trying to fool anyone using cleverness. If anything, the OP was assuming that the police officers were equally smart as him, and thus intelligent enough to distinguish a threat from a misunderstood bystander.

jessedhillon 13y ago
He was also assuming that he didn't have to follow direct commands given to him because he was in posession of certain facts which, if the officers were made aware of them, would certainly countermand those orders. To someone who is in authority giving commands, to have those commands received as polite requests or invitation to debate, that could easily be perceived as "this guy thinks he's smart (or in charge)"
nebstrebor 13y ago
Keep in mind we only have his version of the story...
- loup-vaillant 13y ago
  Well, he called 911 himself. I think this part won't change from version to version. Now how many people who call 911 when they witness an accident actually are a "problem" enough to warrant an arrest?
  - williamcotton 13y ago
    Only the drunk, self-entitled assholes like OP.
    - loup-vaillant 13y ago
      Drunk? I suppose you refer to the 3 drinks they had in the course of 3 hours. And they probably had eaten not long before. Self-entitled asshole… You mean, working in a startup, and tell the policemen when asked what he does for a living? And even if he was a drunk self-entitled asshole? Was he a hindrance? Was he dangerous in any way? My probability for both is extremely low. And even if he was a real hindrance or danger? Does that justify stomping on his fingers after having handcuffed him? No way. I understand you may trust cops. But Officer Korr specifically doesn't look too trustworthy: she got sued. Unless… the OP is actually lying. Not distorting the facts, or conveniently forgetting some details, and exaggerating others, but plain lying. That is indeed a possibility, but I'd think twice before suggesting it to the OP's face: if he wasn't lying, I'd be insulting a victim. Apparently, you're not that cautious.
      - drpp 13y ago
        I (the author) understand the comments above and the reasonable skepticism about my self interest in portraying only one side of the story. I'm not an angel. This was avoidable. I can even understand the police perspective and sympathize with the difficulty of their job. For full transparency, I'm preparing a followup post with all of the assembled documentation, including the police report. And yet, this still should not have happened. But at the time, it was all very sudden. I was being yelled at while my friend (and co-founder of a yc company) was being manhandled. The fact that I was "obstructing with the emergency response" didn't enter the realm of possibility, as I was on the periphery of the scene and far away from the medics. The fact that I was at risk of being arrested didn't cross my mind until the moment I was tackled from behind. I tried to resolve my issue directly with the police. Mediation would have quelled my anger. Only when I felt that I wasn't being heard, I published. I didn't expect 365k views (and counting). I think that these situations are common, but rarely do the victims take the time to write the story in full detail. I've seen it happen to others, and felt powerless to interject. And now that it happened to me, I felt an obligation to do my best to write it as accurately as possible. In the least, it's an anthropological case study, and I hope you felt it was an informative story that was worth your reading time.
madaxe_again 13y ago
Ah, but trying to talk about a situation labels you as an elitist snob, or as Frito put it... "You talk like a fag, and your shit's all retarded".

Domenic_S 13y ago

> The OP's story is completely unrelated to "hacker" culture > [OP's actions] were driven by the underlying belief that he was smarter than the people he was dealing with. Not unrelated in the slightest, imo.

Anderkent 13y ago

> They were driven by the underlying belief that he was smarter than the people he was dealing with. With just a little effort he could convince the police officers to see things his way. Uh, where are you reading all that? The OP saw a friend being manhandled and didn't understood why. He said he'd like to go home with his friend. He got arrested. Where's the "I'm smarter than all these people" coming from?