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Why Y Combinator Made All the Difference

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Re: Why Y Combinator Made All the Difference

#21

Post by ruleabidinguser »

koolba wrote: post #18
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Haha. Looks like the punch bowl is empty. Somebody make another round of kool-aid! You know, I've heard this type of irritating comment so many times over the years. I've been on HN since day two of its public launch, back when it was called Startup News. It was a magical time, mostly because everyone was universally supportive. This isn't a rose-tinted view of the past, or selective memory. It was the reason I was b…

I'm not saying that pursuing a startup is always a bad idea. I'm saying that romanticizing living in somebody else's closet as part of the startup journey is wrong. Building something that people what is what counts. Getting customers to pay you for it is what counts. Having profits is what counts. Software (and startups in general) doesn't get created because you're eating beans and rice, heated off a hot-plate, in…

This is exactly correct. Whats good about a startup is not living in a closet or getting to talk about how cool you are for living in a closet. That is exactly what is bad about the experience. Pretending it is good is roughly denial or some other similarly named vice.

Re: Why Y Combinator Made All the Difference

#22

Post by ruleabidinguser »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #20
koolba wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not saying that pursuing a startup is always a bad idea. I'm saying that romanticizing living in somebody else's closet as part of the startup journey is wrong. Building something that people what is what counts. Getting customers to pay you for it is what counts. Having profits is what counts. Software (and startups in general) doesn't get created because you're eating beans and rice, heated off a hot-plate, in…

I'm not saying that pursuing a startup is always a bad idea. I'm saying that romanticizing living in somebody else's closet as part of the startup journey is wrong. They are rational, intelligent adults, and they don't need or want anyone to be outraged on their behalf.

I'm not sure where you got the impression he was outraged on their behalf. Clearly they were ok with it, but the person's point seems to be "don't get the wrong idea that living like this is good"

Re: Why Y Combinator Made All the Difference

#23

Post by sillysaurus3 »

ruleabidinguser wrote: post #22
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not saying that pursuing a startup is always a bad idea. I'm saying that romanticizing living in somebody else's closet as part of the startup journey is wrong. They are rational, intelligent adults, and they don't need or want anyone to be outraged on their behalf.

I'm not sure where you got the impression he was outraged on their behalf. Clearly they were ok with it, but the person's point seems to be "don't get the wrong idea that living like this is good"

Why tell anyone how they should be living? Or look down on them for it? Or advise people that they should keep their head down and not chase their dreams (as in https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13900883)?

What exactly were you going to do with your youth that was so much more interesting that you'd do that instead of creating your own business while having the full force of YC alums pushing you on?

If you want to do something else, great. It's perfectly ok to spend your youth however you want. There's nothing wrong with choosing a safe path.

But if people want to chase their dreams in irrational ways, then cheer for them!

Re: Why Y Combinator Made All the Difference

#24

Post by koolba »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #23
ruleabidinguser wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure where you got the impression he was outraged on their behalf. Clearly they were ok with it, but the person's point seems to be "don't get the wrong idea that living like this is good"

Why tell anyone how they should be living? Or look down on them for it? Or advise people that they should keep their head down and not chase their dreams (as in https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13900883 )? What exactly were you going to do with your youth that was so much more interesting that you'd do that instead of creating your own business while having the full force of YC alums pushing you on? If you want t…

I didn't say to not chase ones dreams. I said don't be a fool about it. There's no need to live like this to pursue a startup and I'll call out anyone I see romanticizing it as wrong 7 days a week.

> But if people want to chase their dreams in irrational ways, then cheer for them!

Everybody loves rooting for the crazy underdog but that doesn't mean we want people we care about to be in their situation. In a sibling comment someone referenced being an actor/waiter in Hollywood. I think it's a great non-tech example of reality vs romanticized "follow your dream" stories.

Re: Why Y Combinator Made All the Difference

#25

Post by sillysaurus3 »

idiot_stick wrote: post #12
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We convinced our friends in the current Y Combinator batch to let us stay in a closet at their East Palo Alto home office for $600 per month. If we spent $1,000 a month we would have 25 months of runway, which seems infinite. I'm all for frugality and cost controls, but this is ridiculous. It's things like this that brainwash a generation of fools into throwing their lives away at nonsensical ideas. I'm not saying…

> What an incredible, amazing experience. You realize you can do everything you said, without living in someone's closet, in 99% of the world, right? YC is making billions and their workers are living in closets. That's insane.

Founders are not "workers" for YC. They're trying to do something exceptional with extremely scarce resources.

Re: Why Y Combinator Made All the Difference

#26

Post by ruleabidinguser »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #23
ruleabidinguser wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure where you got the impression he was outraged on their behalf. Clearly they were ok with it, but the person's point seems to be "don't get the wrong idea that living like this is good"

Why tell anyone how they should be living? Or look down on them for it? Or advise people that they should keep their head down and not chase their dreams (as in https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13900883 )? What exactly were you going to do with your youth that was so much more interesting that you'd do that instead of creating your own business while having the full force of YC alums pushing you on? If you want t…

People are free to make an informed decision in either way, if you think im suggesting coercion youre misreading me.

But the key word is informed. Suggesting that it is normal or even broadly considered acceptable to live in a closet is a lie.

Encourage people however you like but if you need to lie to them then I'm absolutely not ok with it.

Re: Why Y Combinator Made All the Difference

#27

Post by sillysaurus3 »

koolba wrote: post #24
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why tell anyone how they should be living? Or look down on them for it? Or advise people that they should keep their head down and not chase their dreams (as in https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13900883 )? What exactly were you going to do with your youth that was so much more interesting that you'd do that instead of creating your own business while having the full force of YC alums pushing you on? If you want t…

I didn't say to not chase ones dreams. I said don't be a fool about it. There's no need to live like this to pursue a startup and I'll call out anyone I see romanticizing it as wrong 7 days a week. > But if people want to chase their dreams in irrational ways, then cheer for them! Everybody loves rooting for the crazy underdog but that doesn't mean we want people we care about to be in their situation. In a sibling c…

I'd rather be a fool than a cynic.

Re: Why Y Combinator Made All the Difference

#28

Post by ruleabidinguser »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #27
koolba wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't say to not chase ones dreams. I said don't be a fool about it. There's no need to live like this to pursue a startup and I'll call out anyone I see romanticizing it as wrong 7 days a week. > But if people want to chase their dreams in irrational ways, then cheer for them! Everybody loves rooting for the crazy underdog but that doesn't mean we want people we care about to be in their situation. In a sibling c…

I'd rather be a fool than a cynic.

Not being a romantic is not remotely the same as being a cynic dude. Its actually obnoxious of you to suggest that they are the same thing. Most functioning people are not particularly romantic in my experience. Similarly, most (and I would include myself here) are not cynics.

Whatsmore, being a cynic is something that is often appropriate, particularly when dealing with wild romantics.

Re: Why Y Combinator Made All the Difference

#29

Post by sillysaurus3 »

ruleabidinguser wrote: post #26
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why tell anyone how they should be living? Or look down on them for it? Or advise people that they should keep their head down and not chase their dreams (as in https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13900883 )? What exactly were you going to do with your youth that was so much more interesting that you'd do that instead of creating your own business while having the full force of YC alums pushing you on? If you want t…

People are free to make an informed decision in either way, if you think im suggesting coercion youre misreading me. But the key word is informed. Suggesting that it is normal or even broadly considered acceptable to live in a closet is a lie. Encourage people however you like but if you need to lie to them then I'm absolutely not ok with it.

Who cares what's normal or acceptable, short of illegal?

Why not be crazy in your youth? It's your youth! Spend it however you want. Spend it in ways that you look back and don't regret having taken a safe path.

I don't think anyone is lying about anything. Everyone is extremely quick to point out that living in a closet isn't normal.

But it's awesome. They actually had the courage to do that. And that is wonderful, and worth celebrating.

They didn't give a damn what was normal and did whatever was pragmatic. I'm glad there are places like that in the world.

Re: Why Y Combinator Made All the Difference

#30

Post by ruleabidinguser »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #29
ruleabidinguser wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People are free to make an informed decision in either way, if you think im suggesting coercion youre misreading me. But the key word is informed. Suggesting that it is normal or even broadly considered acceptable to live in a closet is a lie. Encourage people however you like but if you need to lie to them then I'm absolutely not ok with it.

Who cares what's normal or acceptable, short of illegal? Why not be crazy in your youth? It's your youth! Spend it however you want. Spend it in ways that you look back and don't regret having taken a safe path. I don't think anyone is lying about anything. Everyone is extremely quick to point out that living in a closet isn't normal. But it's awesome . They actually had the courage to do that. And that is wonderful,…

You're certainly missing my point here.
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