Live data from Hacker News

Sam Altman is not on YC's board. So why claim to be its chair?

bizjournals.com

111–120 of 192 posts

Re: Sam Altman is not on YC's board. So why claim to be its chair?

#112
post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And the SPAC is run by… Sam Altman. Yes, but this comes with the assumption that Sam writes and reviews the website copy, PR statements and S1 form submissions, which any organization of significant size, the CEO does not. I could believe Elon does though.

You absolutely read the S1 statement. What else would you be reading?

You would be reading your CFO or lawyer's summary of the important points. In this case, the only important point is probably literally just "We filed the S-1, everything went normally".

Do you use an accountant to file your taxes? Do you read the entire tax document they submit, or do you just look at their summary of "after this much in deductions, you owe this much"?

If you do read the document in full, good on you, but I assure you most people don't, in the same way that most CEOs don't read every single document the company's lawyer produces.

Re: Sam Altman is not on YC's board. So why claim to be its chair?

#113
Reading this comment section, I'm realising that smart people in tech are still just people. They love to gossip, shit-talk about others, prop up cartoon villains to hate on.

I'm a big fan of sama. It's been said he's a snake. I hope he is. And he will do things you will hate and be successful doing it. And in doing so, will teach you a priceless lesson. DGAF about other people. Be yourself, look out for yourself and fucking bring it and step on the stage, as you are.

You don't have to be a perfect and excruciatingly boring paragon of virtue before you become a public figure. How wonderful!! It's ok to be a character. As long as it's your character.

Re: Sam Altman is not on YC's board. So why claim to be its chair?

#114
post #111

The media obsession with Sam Altman reminds me of the old dutch saying 'high trees capture a lot of wind' (hoge bomen vangen veel wind) I suppose that's why many HNWI individuals consciously stay below the radar.

Definitely. Though part of your job as a leader typically is also to catch that attention and direct it to serve the organisation.

Re: Sam Altman is not on YC's board. So why claim to be its chair?

#115

Reading this comment section, I'm realising that smart people in tech are still just people. They love to gossip, shit-talk about others, prop up cartoon villains to hate on. I'm a big fan of sama. It's been said he's a snake. I hope he is. And he will do things you will hate and be successful doing it. And in doing so, will teach you a priceless lesson. DGAF about other people. Be yourself, look out for yourself and…

The love and hate comes with the territory when you're a public figure. I don't think he needs defending, and I don't think there is any lesson to be learned if a famous person you dislike is successful.

Re: Sam Altman is not on YC's board. So why claim to be its chair?

#116

Reading this comment section, I'm realising that smart people in tech are still just people. They love to gossip, shit-talk about others, prop up cartoon villains to hate on. I'm a big fan of sama. It's been said he's a snake. I hope he is. And he will do things you will hate and be successful doing it. And in doing so, will teach you a priceless lesson. DGAF about other people. Be yourself, look out for yourself and…

That level of contempt for the people around you is exactly why tech companies can't even create something as boring as a taxi company or corporate shuttle without raising the ire of everyone else.

Re: Sam Altman is not on YC's board. So why claim to be its chair?

#117

Reading this comment section, I'm realising that smart people in tech are still just people. They love to gossip, shit-talk about others, prop up cartoon villains to hate on. I'm a big fan of sama. It's been said he's a snake. I hope he is. And he will do things you will hate and be successful doing it. And in doing so, will teach you a priceless lesson. DGAF about other people. Be yourself, look out for yourself and…

It’s even worse on here since the HN audience seems to worship Altman, although table seem to have turned and he is a bad guy now. Can’t make this stuff up

Re: Sam Altman is not on YC's board. So why claim to be its chair?

#118
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People don't go to jail for errors like these.

Normal folks get fired for "mistakes" like this. Oligarchs don't.

Pretty big difference between getting fired and getting jail time, ain't it?

Still, I doubt anyone is getting fired over this. And the document was not written by an oligarch, lol.

Re: Sam Altman is not on YC's board. So why claim to be its chair?

#119
post #111

The media obsession with Sam Altman reminds me of the old dutch saying 'high trees capture a lot of wind' (hoge bomen vangen veel wind) I suppose that's why many HNWI individuals consciously stay below the radar.

Hoë bome vang die meeste wind (Afrikaans)

Re: Sam Altman is not on YC's board. So why claim to be its chair?

#120

This is really dumb, and I'm not even a fan of sama, I think he's a snake. Sam Altman was CEO and President. The fact he was not Chairman is not material. There's a thousand different explanations how that misstatement could have occurred. Maybe someone wrote that up, and sama didn't review every single line, and other people just assumed it was right. But it's not material. Being being the CEO and President of YC is…

If I claim in a job application that I have worked several years for, let's say, Google, and it later turns out that that was a "mistake" (I was only promised a job, but never got it), I could definitely get fired. Why should Altman expect to face no consequences whatsoever from such a "misstatement"?
Post reply on HN