A fair number of VCs perform back-channel references (references the candidate didn't provide) and the main reason for that is to filter out anyone who's ever s

A fair number of VCs perform back-channel references (references the candidate didn't provide) and the main reason for that is to filter out anyone who's ever suffered from depression or anxiety. Large firms are in on this discrimination, too. It's illegal to ask about these disorders when hiring, but if you acqui-hire from investors who legally can probe into those questions, it's a nice little loop-hole. I don't think it really does any good, because all else being equal, I'd want to a person of good character who fought a mental disability and beat it. That's not easy to do. Beating depression or bipolar or panic disorder is way harder (and says more about a person's fortitude) than building Snapchat. The truth is that many people with mental illnesses are far above normal in functionality when not affected. Still, this is just another thing that is changing in Silicon Valley. The old Silicon Valley (HP, not Snapchat) driven forward by passionate, creative people and many had these illnesses. The new one (Snapchat, Clinkle) is all about image management and favors low-variance, reliable mediocrities.