Live data from Hacker News

McClure steps back at 500Startups after internal sexual misconduct investigation

techcrunch.com

191–200 of 201 posts

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

#191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't looked into McClure's offenses beyond what the article talks about, but those slides seem totally innocent to me (it's a joke targeted at VCs more than anything else), which just makes him seem less guilty in this context ('cause why not just use real evidence then?). No comment on his actual guilt. This quote from the linked article (from Chris Sacca) seems apt: Over the last week, I have spoken with frien…

Obviously that slide deck was not the offense in question for Mr McClure. However, I'm surprised you think the slide deck is appropriate. Here's a good tip: sexual jokes and references are just not appropriate for a business context. And they become even more inappropriate the greater the gender imbalance is. When there's one or two women in a room of fifty men, and you give a presentation mentioning the supposed uni…

That's a good point, and I agree that depending on the gender ratios present, it could be a very uncomfortable situation for minority female attendees. Also, the money shot and guy cuddling with two girls are pretty iffy.

At the same time, however, you are only addressing my first sentence, and my question remains about how to best deal with this: even granting the above, I'm still left with the impression that this guy is largely socially tone deaf and non-malicious, and a product of his culture: so is it possible to make corrections without 'treating the symptom' (i.e. punishing individuals who happen to display symptoms of a systemic issue)—or maybe that's the only way we can get at it?

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

#192
post #90
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.

Those slides are of pretty poor taste...

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

#193
post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If he wanted a relationship, there are infinitely better and more appropriate ways to go about it, especially if he thought she might actually be interested. McClure aside, in general situation when during recruitment precess you meet someone you would like to date is there really a way to go about it that doesn't end badly? Message during recruitment is plain creepy. Asking them out after they are hired is bad for…

This isn't actually that complicated. There are seven billion people in the world, you choose one of the ones that you aren't professionally compromised with to date. Period. Life is full of situations where you have to choose between two competing positive values. It's part of being an adult.

Oh give me a break. You are so uptight.

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

#194

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Obviously that slide deck was not the offense in question for Mr McClure. However, I'm surprised you think the slide deck is appropriate. Here's a good tip: sexual jokes and references are just not appropriate for a business context. And they become even more inappropriate the greater the gender imbalance is. When there's one or two women in a room of fifty men, and you give a presentation mentioning the supposed uni…

That's a good point, and I agree that depending on the gender ratios present, it could be a very uncomfortable situation for minority female attendees. Also, the money shot and guy cuddling with two girls are pretty iffy. At the same time, however, you are only addressing my first sentence, and my question remains about how to best deal with this: even granting the above, I'm still left with the impression that this…

I'll comment more on racism in the south, but in my opinion the best formulation of the problem is: "there are systemic, bad cultural norms".

If you look at it this way, then punishing every incidence is critical if you want to change attitude towards them (albeit in a contextually-adjusted severe manner, of course).

But for people just "following how things are done", the disincentive is chance_of_being_caught * punishment_for_being_caught.

If only the second term in that equation changes as a result of the current push, then I feel like it just creates more inequality and doesn't change the underlying problem as much.

So yes, punishment for all to some degree that's more than a wrist slap.

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

#195
post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, the second slide directly says it is guaranteed to offend.

"heh, this is guaranteed to offend, but if you go out to dinner with me you'll definitely get this job!"

Conflating two things here. Saying something exaggerated and offensive, specifically for effect and attention, is not the same thing as a power play for sex.

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

#196
post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, the second slide directly says it is guaranteed to offend.

That doesn't make it appropriate. If anything it's evidence that its author knew very well it was _not_ appropriate.

Never said it did. He was clearly attempting to use it for shock and attention.

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

#197
post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, the second slide directly says it is guaranteed to offend.

Is that supposed to excuse it?

Nope, just stating the fact that he specifically knew he was using it for shock and attention.

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

#198
post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As long as the women doesn't complain it's fine.

It is most certainly not fine.

Yeah, it's not fine.

I meant it in a different way (and was being somewhat sarcastic): that in a lot of cases, office flirting (even among equal peers) can seem OK if the woman likes the guy, and creepy if they don't (e.g. he is awkward, nerdy, out of shape, etc). In essence, a comment on how "jocks" get away with more of that kind of stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxuUkYiaUc8

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

#200
post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> in general situation when during recruitment precess you meet someone you would like to date is there really a way to go about it that doesn't end badly? (a) No, not one where you have any control whether it goes bad or not (b) Your day job is not a dating service (c) If you can't figure out a and b on your own, you're not mature enough for a position of power

Was it not clear that this is what I was saying? That asking out that would be OK in other situations is not OK in the context of job interview?

HE WAS MARRIED
Post reply on HN