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How The Hell Is This My Fault?

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Re: How The Hell Is This My Fault?

#261

Post by evilduck »

johnsea wrote: post #114

I see airbnb as a match-maker and consider it quite naive to entrust a 'facebook-friend-like' stranger my appartment without proper checking who this person is. Typical America were drinking hot coffee leads to lawsuits. (Which doesn't mean i'm not sorry for the person, or that risks shouldn't be stated (more) prominently, or that insurances should be here)

Typical America were drinking hot coffee leads to lawsuits.

FYI, this is a really terrible case to cite against "Typical America" unless you're trying to tear apart AirBnB, because it's a good example of a corporation trying to screw over someone they were found to have injured and held liable, as determined by a jury in a court of law.

Liebeck, the victim in the "coffee lawsuit", received third degree burns to 6% of her body, required skin grafts, etc, it's not like someone just scaled their hand due to a splash or something.

Re: How The Hell Is This My Fault?

#262

Post by thaumaturgy »

pg wrote: post #240
kyro wrote: post #95

HN has been pretty disgusting the last few days: the level of schadenfreude here has hit ridiculous new highs. It seems that every time a story breaks about a successful company, a bunch of envious and disgruntled people come out of the woodwork and jump onto the bandwagon headed straight for the founders' heads. A community of seemingly intelligent and rational individuals turns into the most rabid, emotionally-char…

This is the most intelligent comment I've seen about this whole business. The phenomenon isn't limited to YC companies-- we saw it in e.g. the reaction to Zuckerberg (at 20 or whatever) calling users "dumb fucks" and to Biz and Ev (jokingly) asking if they could cut in the food line at Facebook-- but the problem is at its worst with YC companies because we have to scale back on moderation. When users work themselves…

A comment that broadly accuses the HN community of jealousy, and questions the motives of everyone commenting, is the most intelligent comment you've seen about this?

Huh.

> ...an ordinary issue...

Nice.

I think this is a good illustration of part of what's wrong here. To the woman whose life has been upended by this, this is not "an ordinary issue". Similarly, everyone that's said so far that this has not been handled as gracefully as it could have been, and that there might be something we could all learn from that, should not be dismissed as just being envious of another company.

Re: How The Hell Is This My Fault?

#263

Post by dhbanes »

pg wrote: post #240
kyro wrote: post #95

HN has been pretty disgusting the last few days: the level of schadenfreude here has hit ridiculous new highs. It seems that every time a story breaks about a successful company, a bunch of envious and disgruntled people come out of the woodwork and jump onto the bandwagon headed straight for the founders' heads. A community of seemingly intelligent and rational individuals turns into the most rabid, emotionally-char…

This is the most intelligent comment I've seen about this whole business. The phenomenon isn't limited to YC companies-- we saw it in e.g. the reaction to Zuckerberg (at 20 or whatever) calling users "dumb fucks" and to Biz and Ev (jokingly) asking if they could cut in the food line at Facebook-- but the problem is at its worst with YC companies because we have to scale back on moderation. When users work themselves…

Well, this certainly clears it up. To those of you who have been concerned with Airbnb and PG's actions over the past few days... it's just because you're jealous and stupid.

Classy, Paul.

Re: How The Hell Is This My Fault?

#264

Post by [deleted] »

pg wrote: post #240
kyro wrote: post #95

HN has been pretty disgusting the last few days: the level of schadenfreude here has hit ridiculous new highs. It seems that every time a story breaks about a successful company, a bunch of envious and disgruntled people come out of the woodwork and jump onto the bandwagon headed straight for the founders' heads. A community of seemingly intelligent and rational individuals turns into the most rabid, emotionally-char…

This is the most intelligent comment I've seen about this whole business. The phenomenon isn't limited to YC companies-- we saw it in e.g. the reaction to Zuckerberg (at 20 or whatever) calling users "dumb fucks" and to Biz and Ev (jokingly) asking if they could cut in the food line at Facebook-- but the problem is at its worst with YC companies because we have to scale back on moderation. When users work themselves…

[deleted]

Re: How The Hell Is This My Fault?

#265

Post by o1iver »

pg wrote: post #240
kyro wrote: post #95

HN has been pretty disgusting the last few days: the level of schadenfreude here has hit ridiculous new highs. It seems that every time a story breaks about a successful company, a bunch of envious and disgruntled people come out of the woodwork and jump onto the bandwagon headed straight for the founders' heads. A community of seemingly intelligent and rational individuals turns into the most rabid, emotionally-char…

This is the most intelligent comment I've seen about this whole business. The phenomenon isn't limited to YC companies-- we saw it in e.g. the reaction to Zuckerberg (at 20 or whatever) calling users "dumb fucks" and to Biz and Ev (jokingly) asking if they could cut in the food line at Facebook-- but the problem is at its worst with YC companies because we have to scale back on moderation. When users work themselves…

I don't see how it is an intelligent comment. I actually think it is a misinterpretation of the issue. Yes, people are disappointed by how AirBnB reacted to the situation, but they are also ashamed by how such an example of entrepreneurial innovation and guts has turned into an example of cover-ups and lack of empathy. Entrepreneurs are supposed to be the young innovative idealistic types and not the cigar-smoking country-club bosses plotting the best way of covering up something that went wrong.

Had AirBnB reacted differently this whole situation would not have exploded. I myself am astounded that they have not come out with some kind of statement. They are letting this small fire turn into a huge forest fire (FT and USAToday for God's sake...)

Re: How The Hell Is This My Fault?

#266

Post by TillE »

pg wrote: post #240
kyro wrote: post #95

HN has been pretty disgusting the last few days: the level of schadenfreude here has hit ridiculous new highs. It seems that every time a story breaks about a successful company, a bunch of envious and disgruntled people come out of the woodwork and jump onto the bandwagon headed straight for the founders' heads. A community of seemingly intelligent and rational individuals turns into the most rabid, emotionally-char…

This is the most intelligent comment I've seen about this whole business. The phenomenon isn't limited to YC companies-- we saw it in e.g. the reaction to Zuckerberg (at 20 or whatever) calling users "dumb fucks" and to Biz and Ev (jokingly) asking if they could cut in the food line at Facebook-- but the problem is at its worst with YC companies because we have to scale back on moderation. When users work themselves…

> I don't know if there's a solution.

There's a very obvious solution: Airbnb need to do the right thing. Right now. Publicly and privately.

It's really not hard. Whatever they've done wrong in the past few weeks, they can make right pretty quickly, and the conversation will shift just as quickly.

Until then? All public evidence indicates they're still doing the wrong thing. Really, what do you expect? This is an issue of basic human empathy, and the apparent lack thereof. Business issues have been very much a secondary concern in all discussions about this.

Re: How The Hell Is This My Fault?

#267

Post by rdouble »

babebridou wrote: post #101
rdouble wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In San Francisco it can easily cost $10K to get situated into a new apartment. The average rent is $2300, so $6900 and broker fees just to move in. Plus, she needs all new stuff.

I meant for the company. It's not needed to involve the company's money in this case. As a side note, how big are those appartments in San Francisco? Here in Paris for that kind of money each month you get 60 square meters and no single person can afford those. Most live in a third or a half of this surface.

An apartment at that cost in SF could be anywhere from 45-60 square meters. Here is a typical listing:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/2521648827.html

Re: How The Hell Is This My Fault?

#268

Post by tptacek »

TillE wrote: post #266
pg wrote: post #240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the most intelligent comment I've seen about this whole business. The phenomenon isn't limited to YC companies-- we saw it in e.g. the reaction to Zuckerberg (at 20 or whatever) calling users "dumb fucks" and to Biz and Ev (jokingly) asking if they could cut in the food line at Facebook-- but the problem is at its worst with YC companies because we have to scale back on moderation. When users work themselves…

> I don't know if there's a solution. There's a very obvious solution: Airbnb need to do the right thing. Right now. Publicly and privately. It's really not hard. Whatever they've done wrong in the past few weeks, they can make right pretty quickly, and the conversation will shift just as quickly. Until then? All public evidence indicates they're still doing the wrong thing. Really, what do you expect? This is an iss…

You didn't read his comment. I'll simplify it for you: you have no idea whether Airbnb has done the right thing by this customer, but you seem to have no trouble telling everyone how simple this issue is to dispose of.

Re: How The Hell Is This My Fault?

#269

Post by forensic »

ajays wrote: post #205

Here is something I don't understand. San Francisco is a tiny city (heck, I've walked from one end to the other; it's just 7 miles x 7 miles, or 11km x 11km for the rest of you). Most of the principles in this sad tale live in San Francisco. HOW HARD IS IT TO JUST WALK OVER AND MEET THIS PERSON?? Instead of relying on PR and telephones and email and blogs; just walk over, give her a hug, talk to her and treat her rig…

Nobody lives or works in San Franciso. Silicon Valley is not SF. The Bay Area is this big sprawling suburb that is a pain in the ass to get around in.

Re: How The Hell Is This My Fault?

#270

Post by jpdoctor »

jpdoctor wrote: post #255
mypov wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your comment is unnecessarily aggressive and the facts available to you can not possibly support making such a statement.

> and the facts available to you OK, time for a quiz. Someone who has made an investment is going to take the side that is a. good for investment returns, or b. bad for investment returns. This isn't rocket science. And if basic observations of human nature are "unnecessarily agressive", then so be it.

Ug. You were replying to a deleted comment. My apologies.

I'd delete my comment if possible, but the delete key has vanished.

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