I read this as fiction then I realized he was serious. Obviously in need of some counseling. Delusional ? He reads like a carbon copy of "The Secret"
If you want to get rich, stop being a fucking joker
201–210 of 301 posts
Re: If you want to get rich, stop being a fucking joker
#202At first I thought this was posted by one of the email's recipients as a form of revenge on its douchebag author. Then, I realized it was posted by the author on his own blog... how embarrassing. The whole letter/blog simultaneously reeks of desperation, egotism, conceit and condescension. He clearly craves validation and doesn't hesitate to dole it out to himself. "I picked you guys because you're the best! Now quit…
he's a complete egotist "Whenever I compared myself to people similar to me, it wasn’t even close. I worked more, accomplished more, produced more, did more meaningful things, was traveling the world. I read more books, did more writing, was generally healthier and more disciplined, spent my time well. I was the top 1% for my age, and even better than that if you measured me against people from similar backgrounds."…
This is very far fetched armchair psychology but people driven _THAT_ incredibly much are usually not fueled by positive energy (alone). Together with the almost compulsive comparing to other people, sounds a lot like coping mechanisms for an inferiority complex or worse. OP should consider some therapy to learn about why he is so focused on comparing to others and why he is so hell-bent on work.
Re: If you want to get rich, stop being a fucking joker
#203I can't help feeling that that was written by a cross between a motivational speaker and a mafia don. The letter had an interesting voice and was well written; however, it immediately set off unconscious alarms in my mind. It was trying to influence the reader too coarsely on too emotional a level; I do not like that sort of thing very much.
Well written? Surely you jest.
Re: If you want to get rich, stop being a fucking joker
#204Earlier quoted context omitted.
like Steve Yegge turned bad.
Does this mean I'm not alone in thinking Yegge could cut half his prose and create a better post?
I am of the opposite opinion. Yegge's problem is that he writes better than he is smart; he buys too much of his own bull.
(That said, he is certainly very smart.)
Edit: You're right, on consideration. If Yegge used writing discipline, it would not be as fun to read but have a higher signal to noise.
Re: If you want to get rich, stop being a fucking joker
#205Write these kinds of rants. Get your anger and frustration on paper. Then, throw it out. Revisit your thoughts later. Repeat until your thoughts are coherent and your course of action is clear.
I agree. I read somewhere years ago (in my early 20s) about how Abe Lincoln wrote a disappointed letter to a General when he failed to continue fighting to win a battle (they had been fighting for days on end and were exhausted).
That may or may not be accurate but the point of it was he was upset, took it out on someone and then did not send the letter, and the advice was to take things like this and put them in your drafts and sleep on it.
This may have been in the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People".
Effective immediately, I started refraining from sending annoyed or angry emails. I'd file them in drafts and sleep on it.
I can't recall ever sending an email of this sort since. In hindsight there was always a better and more effective way to deal with the situation.
I think some people just love the sound of their own voice (and the sight of their own words) that they feel compelled to 'ship' after they've produced something like this. Some things just shouldn't ever be sent.
I think he'll regret doing this this in time. I certainly would.
Re: If you want to get rich, stop being a fucking joker
#206Earlier quoted context omitted.
He's the joker.
They say most successful CEOs score highly on tests for being a sociopath. I think this guy could be on his way to the Fortune 400!
Contrary to popular belief, (certain) psychological deficiencies can be absolutely beneficial or enabling for being successful in business and other area.
Re: If you want to get rich, stop being a fucking joker
#207This should be a very good read for those of you that think that formal education is not necessary for start-up success. I am not sure who the author of this is and whether he went to college or not, but he clearly needs to take a good writing class. He may actually have a good point about keeping commitments but the whole thing is written so badly, in such a meandering and repetitive way that it is a joke. And I dou…
The repetition is obviously intentional (I'm surprised this wasn't evident to you). It's written more as a speech rather then a pamphlet. Have you listened to for instance Obama, or any other politician? Usually they have very little to say(you could probably summarize in 5 sentences), but to get the point across they use repetition. It's an effective communication tool.
> It's an effective communication tool.
He is using email, of all means of communication... far from effective and one of the narrowest communication channels. We are far from "effective" here - he was just venting his anger.
Re: If you want to get rich, stop being a fucking joker
#208as an engineer I've worked for this type of douche idea/business guy. When doing exactly what he says, he says "somethings just not right", then I ask "ok what is it then".. he responds "I don't know its just not right". DOUCHE. Then he tells me to take more initiative, and I do. Then I get an email like this that says why isn't things getting done, and I say.. because I'm doing things like setting up stupid accounts…
Cut your losses NOW and take a serious look at your current situation from the view of a business owner - you are investing your time, your life and energy and skills so naturally you want something in return. Do the compensations add up? Do YOU get enough out of this RIGHT NOW?
Do not wait for that mythical moment in the future when all will be great and you are flying first class around Asia for him. Forget that distant future, it is not there, not now. You need to make this situation work for you RIGHT NOW. Promising future prospects can be a (smaller) part of that but what else is in it for YOU right NOW? Not all compensation is monetary, some of the most valuable ones aren't monetary. So, understand your situation and what are you getting out of it right now until you have first class seats in Asia?
Re: If you want to get rich, stop being a fucking joker
#209Earlier quoted context omitted.
LinkedIn has a stub page saying "I don't really use linkedin". His 'About' page has this: "I worked as an entrepreneur from 2004 to 2008". That's it. From 2009 onwards, there appears to be a lot of stuff about travel, and sleeping less, and "purifying my diet". I have some friends with bios/resumes like this; these also happen to be my "rich kid" friends.
I really dislike seeing comments like this on HN. I've clawed my way from poverty to lower middle class, helped out as many people along the way as I could, done some amazing things, written a lot of brilliant code that's running the guts of a couple businesses and maybe even an East Bay school district still. But, I've never written about any of it, I don't talk about it much, and honestly, I'd rather do just about…
I respect your work and achievements and I agree, a lot of people who have accomplished something do NOT brag about it.
Coincidentally, a LOT of people who have accomplished pretty much nothing do brag and write and blog a LOT about it... often to great success. So, it is just fair to ask what references, credits and medals this big-mouthed blogger has to show for all his very big words of "making a way" and being better than 99% of the population.
Re: If you want to get rich, stop being a fucking joker
#210"Dear Sebastian, we quit, piss off. Best, Sam, Lee, and Jon." Seriously, this is just ridiculous. Is there anyone here that would actually put up with this ridiculous public shaming at all, let alone from a CEO that's off in Asia staying up "20 hours" to print flyers for one of his other companies, while he bitches that you're not reneging on your teaching commitments (which I would presume he knew about when he took…
A couple points - They're partners, not employees. Yes, I'll suffer at the printshop when I promised it. My colleague offered to do it, but he just had a baby and it would be ridiculous to keep him all night. No one else was available on Sunday night. > they tend to be neither very good businessmen nor good employers. My staff like me, I pay top of market (sometimes 10x market pay, if the person is worth it but short…
> My staff like me, I pay top of market (sometimes 10x market pay, if the person is worth it but short-changed due to supply and demand),
"working for a fraction of his normal cost by being very fucking cool with him"
This is just one of the many contradictions that become very obvious when reading a few of your posts.
> They're partners, not employees.
You actually think this is a justification? Even WORSE! While as the boss, you might get away with lashing out and being arrogant to your employees because, hey, you are the boss and pay their salaries and employees sometimes let their boss get away with being an idiot. But you got yourself into a business arrangement with people you consider friends (IMHO a major mistake) and they are your partners you might have to work with through some actually really tough times and as soon as the going gets just a little rough, you show your true nature and start being a lecturing a*hole? If you continue like this, this endeavor will not last through the first actual crisis - and if you think what you are facing NOW is a crisis (oh dear a project is off by a few weeks! never happened in IT!!) then oh boy are you in for some surprises.
I am sorry, you strike me as the person and type of leader that is a GREAT leader (in his own mind) as long as things are going great, easy, worry-free and without any trouble but at the first sign of complications, exactly when your leader skills should actually come into play, you snap and start flinging poo and blame.
You do EXACTLY what you call "being a joker". You write and blog and whine but you did NOT do what it takes to get the job done. And by your standards and set goals, you did NOT get it done. Do you honestly think Hannibal only had DEVGRU-quality SEALs in his army and it was no struggle for him? Think about it. You frakked up just as much as they have, likely much more because you knew something wasn't going right and you did nothing until now where you ridicule them.