Hacker News
points by agorabinary 4 days ago | 0 comments
Articulate and well spoken - I hope that through threads like these that especially tech newcomers discover that there are alternatives to the YC founder mentality of "growth at all costs". A more gradual approach that respects users is also better for founders. You may not retire at 35 with some big exit or raise, but why is that the goal anyway? Build something that respects your users and you can see yourself working on for 30 years, living comfortably and in moderation.

A minor tweak to The Parable of the Mexican Fisherman[1]:

The venture capitalist laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time was right, you would announce an IPO, and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions!”

“Millions – then what?”

[1] https://aliabdaal.com/newsletter/the-parable-of-the-mexican-...

[–] johnnyanmac 4 days ago
>". A more gradual approach that respects users is also better for founders. You may not retire at 35 with some big exit or raise, but why is that the goal anyway?

Well, living on the other side of the pond: I get shuffled around and laid off every few years in the game industry and any savings I had got obliterated surviving in this not-recession as everyone around me gaslights me into telling me that "the economy is fine", while doing regular layoffs in nearly all sectors. And it's not like I have some sort of high respect for my craft by those who enjoy it either.

There's definitely a temptation to just sell out, find a huge buyout, and get out of the rat race so I can tinker to my heart's content on stuff I want to make. Not what "sells" or what some director wanted after 20 filters of HR, "focus groups, and other sales people get their hands on it. What integrity am I truly keeping in the former situation?

Of course, all this assumes I have the opportunity to sell out. Someone at that point is more than likely someone who was already in a trajectory to defy the typical 9-5 40 hour grind to begin with.

[–] lotsofpulp 4 days ago
>You may not retire at 35 with some big exit or raise, but why is that the goal anyway?

Because then I can guarantee access to food/shelter/healthcare for my kids if me or their mom or one of them were to become incapacitated in some way.

[–] prmoustache 4 days ago
Shouldn't that be the purpose of insurances?

Also I am paying taxes for that and am glad of paying it for whoever has the need to instead of them or me having to setup a gofundme campaign.

I'd say voting for the right candidates is better than a system where a few of apparently lucky people can achieve that while in fact they are completely losing their mind in the process and leaving in constant stress (if my observation of founders and so called successful tech bros is correct)

[–] lotsofpulp 4 days ago
There is zero chance the federal US government has the legislators needed to pass a sufficient safety net during the years my kids depend on me.
[–] roncesvalles 4 days ago
Eh. Human children are hardy and can figure their way out if shit really hits the fan.

You can't make it your life objective to guard against the 0.01% risk of your children becoming orphaned before 18. Just buy term insurance if anything.

[–] lotsofpulp 4 days ago
My 4 year old with cancer is not figuring their “way out”, nor is my 7 year old. We are down to a 1 income household, which is fine because we earn high incomes and work from home, so we can still split up and take care of each kid while being able to pay for health insurance and out of pocket maximums.

Insuring against death and orphaned kids is cheap and easy. Insuring against long term disability is not.

If you are a high earner in the US, you can make it your objective and live a far less stressful life because saving a few million is possible.

[–] walt_grata 4 days ago
Or we can prioritize single payer and ubi along with other social safety nets to try to ensure its there for anyone who needs it and not those lucky enough to win the capitalism lottery
[–] lotsofpulp 4 days ago
I play the game with the rules that are, not how I wish them to be. I’m betting if and when the federal US legislature gets around to passing those safety nets, my kids will be grown up and independent.
[–] hluska 4 days ago
Back in my day, we had enough taste not to try to turn a person’s child’s cancer diagnosis into a chance to make a political point. Be a better person - you’re talking to an actual human people; writing something this callous is totally fucked up

Have some basic human respect.

[–] hluska 4 days ago
If you actually believe this, why are you linking to a website that solicits subscriptions?