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McClure steps back at 500Startups after internal sexual misconduct investigation

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Re: McClure steps back at 500Startups after internal sexual misconduct investigation

#131

Post by plinkplonk »

crispytx wrote: post #130
plinkplonk wrote: post #105

something I've never understood. These guys (Kalanick, McClure) are multi millionaires, and could probably get any number of women to take interest in them on that basis alone. Why risk career suicide? Why would they need to hit on women at their workplaces ? Why isn't the normal dating game (where they have a massive edge via being loaded) sufficient? I don't get it (at all). What am I missing? These guys seem to be…

I don't think that's fair to lump Travis Kalanick into the same boat as Dave McClure. Kalanick didn't sexually harass anyone personally, his subordinates did. There isn't really any evidence that Travis Kalanick tried to cover anything up either. If you read that Susan Fowler blog post regarding sexual harassment at Uber, it sounds like she was sexually harassed by one person, and the HR department wouldn't do anythi…

I concede the point (and it is a good one, Thank You).

I don't follow this stuff in any great detail and those are just the first names I thought of. Erroneously, as it turned out, and as you correctly point out.

Fwiw, I am not really interested in "social justice" issues and I use this forum mainly to get insight into purely technical issues, and I really should keep out of such politically/ideologically charged threads. Note to self.

Thanks again.

(me exits thread and topic)

Re: McClure steps back at 500Startups after internal sexual misconduct investigation

#132

Post by [deleted] »

gcatalfamo wrote: post #115

Without defending anyone, My honest takeout by the whole sexual harassment threshold in the bay area or the US in general is that you could never end up together or even married with a colleague in that paranoid atmosphere. Which is exactly what I did where I live in Italy. Happily married and yes, after saying things to a colleague of mine that would have made me accused in the bay area.

[deleted]

Re: McClure steps back at 500Startups after internal sexual misconduct investigation

#134

Post by gexla »

anindha wrote: post #90
rmason wrote: post #2

The one person that I would have never suspected is Dave McClure. Here's a guy who didn't fit the investment world and he was smart and hustled his way in. He started 500 startups with a female co-founder and said he chose her because she was smarter. He saw an opening for himself and talked about playing Moneyball for venture capital. He spoke often in interviews about chasing investments among founders who didn't f…

I have seen questionable material come from him [1]: Examples: "Money Shot" with kitten spreadings its legs and "Great Products...Get you LAID". [1] https://www.slideshare.net/dmc500hats/how-to-pitch-a-vc-or-a... edit: link directly to slides and deleted nested comment.

Let's say we're talking about Chris Rock. There's a difference between him cracking jokes on a public stage and him directing these same sorts of jokes to a potential hire in a private conversation.

Re: McClure steps back at 500Startups after internal sexual misconduct investigation

#136

Post by morgante »

plinkplonk wrote: post #126
timcederman wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> get any number of women to take interest in them on that basis alone Seriously?

Yes seriously. Are you implying that tremendously rich men (barring mental illnesses / crippling social anxiety) are dis advantaged with respect to dating? Or even that being tremendously rich is not a factor at all? If so, I'll have some of what you are smoking. The people under discussion are men(if you are objecting to the use of 'men' vs 'people'. I specifically used Kalanick and McClure as examples). This also a…

Being a billionaire definitely helps, but it's not really a massive advantage to be a multimillionaire. I have a few wealthy friends (single digit millionaires) who still struggle with dating.

Re: McClure steps back at 500Startups after internal sexual misconduct investigation

#137

Post by yokisan »

kelnos wrote: post #123
superplussed wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I saw him speak at a fireside chat here in Berlin, and was struck by his overall juvenile attitude and idiocy. Given that that was his "shtick" I guess he was just hiding in plain sight. But I'm surprised that his poor judgement is such a shock to people when it's evident from his performances in public .

Yeah, that's the thing I don't get. I'm certainly no stranger to foul language (2 minutes with me in a social setting and that's obvious), but his shtick always seemed to me to be about shock value and getting a reaction, and a certain amount of braggadocio around being an "outsider", which has always turned me off.

You'll just looove his inane tantrum about Trump then: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVTVf7ffShg

If one wishes to virtue-signal it helps to at least be virtuous.

Re: McClure steps back at 500Startups after internal sexual misconduct investigation

#138

Post by nl »

gduncan12 wrote: post #29
nl wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I assume you actually realise why they are vague, but in case you don't: it's polite. Many victims find it humiliating to talk about, and adding details often adds to this humiliation. In this case many details were published elsewhere already, in enough detail to offer little excuse.

Was the victim(s) identified? If not, then we should be free to talk about the specifics without making any identifications. Again, there's no details to go on here.

Was the victim(s) identified?

Yes, in the other coverage.

Re: McClure steps back at 500Startups after internal sexual misconduct investigation

#139

Post by jee_accnt »

ithinkinstereo wrote: post #98

Oh and he referenced his penis size at a startup event: https://twitter.com/founderofstick/status/880977488494469122 Sarah Kunst, the woman quoted in the NYT, mentions that other women have reached out to her about McClure. Like Caldwell, also all women of color: https://twitter.com/sarahkunst/status/881004317674577920

Not gonna defend any harassment but this one's just nitpicking. He made a joke. I see him as the real life version of Erlich Bachman or Russ Hanneman from Silicon Valley. He is inappropriate, which is what makes him more likable (to some people).

You could argue that its unprofessional, but then so is wearing t-shirt and shorts to work. Tech culture quite proudly does not care much about appearances.

Re: McClure steps back at 500Startups after internal sexual misconduct investigation

#140

Post by thanksgiving »

neom wrote: post #49
thanksgiving wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this sexual harassment? It sounds like calling a party where the food is bad "literally Auschwitz". Reverse the genders. Is this still sexual harassment? If not, then this isn't sexual harassment either. I still think this is in poor taste. The attempts to defend it is worse. However, let us commit to refraining from calling it sexual harassment until it is sexual harassment. Calling this sexual harassment is like…

I mean if we're going to debate labels: In my opinion it is completely inappropriate when your position of power, in a person setting, while referencing the professional setting, to discuss this. Maybe we could use the labels "abusive" or "predatory" or "toxic" if you'd prefer? Personally, I'm fine with "sexually harassive".

I would much rather that because this had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with ego and power trips.

I don't think it is OK what he did but sexual harassment this is not. It is an advise of power, pure and simple.

We talk about the middle east being sexually repressed but look at ourselves in the us: why is everything a sex crime? Come on folks. We can do better.

Personally, I'd feel better with the sexually part removed. Who cares of the harassment is sexual? Harassment is harassment.

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