Hacker News Reader

Comment by pdonis | Hacker News Reader

> It really sucks to find out that the whole idea of it just being about the code, meritocracy blah blah blah ... isn't really true.

Have you considered starting your own company so you have control of how employees are treated?

More generally, this seems to me to be a potential solution to the disillusionment problem described in the article that is not often considered. Bad management and bad treatment of employees should be bad business; but for that to be the case, companies that do those things have to face competition from companies that don't.

View on HN

Statistically minorities are also undervalued in terms of investment, FWIW. People are less likely to invest in your company if you're a minority. (Some will even refuse to provide you business because you're a minority.)

> Statistically minorities are also undervalued in terms of investment

Have you considered starting a venture capital fund that does a better job of investing in businesses that existing capital allocation underinvests in? Again, failing to invest enough in businesses that are worth the investment should be bad business, and companies that fail in that way should face competition from companies that don't.

Are you going to lend him $500,000 to start this business? After all, banks and investors want to make sure they invest in the right people. Wouldn't want to throw your money away at a "risky investment".

Also where are their initial customers going to come from? If you don't attend the right schools or network with the right people from early on in life, why would people go out of their way to attach themselves socially to someone who is unproven?

Yes, just start a business...if only it were that easy!

This is bullshit because (a) there are many VC funds now explicitly earmarked for minority founders and run by minority partners, and (b) an enormous number of successful startups are started by first generation immigrants who didn't go to fancy schools here.

The perception of first generation immigrants is a bit different than the perception of black people in the United States, generally speaking.

In addition, being a minority founder doesn't mean funding is automatic. Investors still like seeing the right credentials, even for minorities.

If it is true that the game is rigged, which is basically what you're saying, the only way to stop it from being rigged is to out-compete it. Just shrugging your shoulders and saying, well, there's no point in trying because the game is rigged, just means the game stays rigged forever.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com