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Four Years in Startups

newyorker.com

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Re: Four Years in Startups

#61

Post by crustacean »

staticautomatic wrote: post #11
jonahbenton wrote: post #9

A beautifully written piece that brings to mind Alan Kay's statement that a change in perspective is worth 80 IQ points. The world would be much better off if tech could see itself from her vantagepoint. Appearing on HN on a remarkable day in a remarkable era when notable women are forcing historic change with strength, courage, and a different perspective- it is likely this piece will just be a footnote. I hope it b…

Tech can see itself from her vantage point. It just refuses to acknowledge that it's looking at itself.

Yep. Everyone is gonna start to see tech the way tech sees finance and military contractors

Re: Four Years in Startups

#62

Post by v64 »

aditya34 wrote: post #26

"The employees tried to be the C.E.O’s friends, but we were not his friends. He shut down our ideas and belittled us in private meetings; he dangled responsibility and prestige, only to retract them inexplicably. We regularly brought him customer feedback, like dogs mouthing tennis balls, and he regularly ignored us. He was expensive to work for: at least two of my co-workers met with therapists to talk through their…

What part of the quote identifies him? From my reading it sounds generic enough that it could apply to a number of abusive CEOs.

Other users have identified the company as Mixpanel, so I'm curious about what specific hints I had overlooked.

Re: Four Years in Startups

#63

Post by v64 »

shellmayr wrote: post #55

The text really captured my attention. I've recently been struggling with whether or not tech and the modern internet are a force for good. I always enjoyed tinkering with hardware and software, and have been working in related jobs because it pays well and there are always interesting challenges to solve. But the societal shifts ongoing in Europe, the filter bubbles and breaking down of discourse, the xenophobia and…

I don't have any good advice, but just wanted to say you're definitely not alone. I left the tech industry due to these feelings and observations.

Re: Four Years in Startups

#64

Post by Isamu »

shellmayr wrote: post #55

The text really captured my attention. I've recently been struggling with whether or not tech and the modern internet are a force for good. I always enjoyed tinkering with hardware and software, and have been working in related jobs because it pays well and there are always interesting challenges to solve. But the societal shifts ongoing in Europe, the filter bubbles and breaking down of discourse, the xenophobia and…

>whether or not tech and the modern internet are a force for good

People. Only people are a force for good or evil.

Tech is true neutral ... or maybe Chaotic Neutral.

Re: Four Years in Startups

#65

Post by v64 »

opportune wrote: post #22

I don’t understand why all these from-the-inside vignettes overplay all the stereotypes so much. I guess it has to do with making it more exciting and exotic for your readers

I've sent this article around to my friends because it's one of the most accurate portrayals I've seen in mainstream media about the experiences I had working in tech. If you haven't encountered these types of personalities, consider yourself fortunate.

Re: Four Years in Startups

#66

Post by sportanova »

jypepin wrote: post #5
rainyMammoth wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't know why you are being downvoted but you your TLDR is pretty much spot on. I would suggest to any techie who finds this not true to leave the bay area for a couple months then come back. It is amazing how entitled everyone is over here.

This. I feel like the article is a little bit too negative, but I've been something pretty much similar. I moved to SF, worked for about 4 years, loved it, but then moved back to Europe and realised "oh wow, it IS a bubble". Now I'm excited to eventually go back to the bay, but it was very valuable to take a step back, go away and think about it!

Everything's a bubble, and that's ok. Wouldn't want every city / region to be the same

Re: Four Years in Startups

#67

Post by specialist »

shellmayr wrote: post #55

The text really captured my attention. I've recently been struggling with whether or not tech and the modern internet are a force for good. I always enjoyed tinkering with hardware and software, and have been working in related jobs because it pays well and there are always interesting challenges to solve. But the societal shifts ongoing in Europe, the filter bubbles and breaking down of discourse, the xenophobia and…

My tech hangover started in 1989. Reading Psychology of Everyday Things and Technolopy helped me articulate my dissatisfaction, transmuted me from a technophile into a humanist.

I started some study groups (for geeks), started volunteering (tree hugger stuff, cancer survivor groups), got very activist / political. (Now experiencing a citizenship hangover. Oof.)

Hanging out with different cohorts is invigorating. Highly recommended.

Re: Four Years in Startups

#68

Post by wellti4282 »

aditya34 wrote: post #26

"The employees tried to be the C.E.O’s friends, but we were not his friends. He shut down our ideas and belittled us in private meetings; he dangled responsibility and prestige, only to retract them inexplicably. We regularly brought him customer feedback, like dogs mouthing tennis balls, and he regularly ignored us. He was expensive to work for: at least two of my co-workers met with therapists to talk through their…

Now, Suhail is starting another company, Mighty [1][2], a cloud-based browser.

I had a quick exchange with him about a potential position, but his arrogance and inflated ego left me uninterested. He shared very few details about the company, talking with a tone that assumed I was automatically convinced I would want to join just because he has founded Mixpanel. Hiring is a two-way street buddy.

[1] https://mightyapp.com [2] https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/19/all-84-startups-from-y-com...

Re: Four Years in Startups

#69

Post by magneticnorth »

v64 wrote: post #62
aditya34 wrote: post #26

"The employees tried to be the C.E.O’s friends, but we were not his friends. He shut down our ideas and belittled us in private meetings; he dangled responsibility and prestige, only to retract them inexplicably. We regularly brought him customer feedback, like dogs mouthing tennis balls, and he regularly ignored us. He was expensive to work for: at least two of my co-workers met with therapists to talk through their…

What part of the quote identifies him? From my reading it sounds generic enough that it could apply to a number of abusive CEOs. Other users have identified the company as Mixpanel, so I'm curious about what specific hints I had overlooked.

A little bit before this in the article the company is described in enough detail that someone familiar with it would recognize it: "I read puff pieces about the analytics startup’s co-founders, now twenty-four and twenty-five, with one Silicon Valley internship between them ... the C.E.O. and the technical co-founder left their college in the Southwest to join. The startup had twelve million dollars in venture funding, thousands of customers, and seventeen employees."

Re: Four Years in Startups

#70

Post by v64 »

magneticnorth wrote: post #69
v64 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What part of the quote identifies him? From my reading it sounds generic enough that it could apply to a number of abusive CEOs. Other users have identified the company as Mixpanel, so I'm curious about what specific hints I had overlooked.

A little bit before this in the article the company is described in enough detail that someone familiar with it would recognize it: "I read puff pieces about the analytics startup’s co-founders, now twenty-four and twenty-five, with one Silicon Valley internship between them ... the C.E.O. and the technical co-founder left their college in the Southwest to join. The startup had twelve million dollars in venture fundi…

Thanks for the followup, it fits in retrospect but on my initial read I didn't peg it.
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