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Comment by daenz | Hacker News Reader

Why stop at criticizing? Go prove people wrong and make a company that does things drastically differently. That's why people are tired with the "I'm just criticizing!" attitude. Instead of talking and telling everyone else they need to change, go show everyone that you know better.

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So I guess no one can criticize anymore? If my car is broken, then I have to make my own car?

It's a strawman and a diversion to just be talking about the general concept of fair compensation to CEOs and founders and then to just reply with "why don't you make your own company if you think the pay is too high"?

It's not a strawman, you just aren't understanding the fundamental lesson in the idea of starting your own company. "Fair" is what the participating parties agree is fair when they form the agreement. You appear to be speaking from one side of the agreement (the employee side). Starting your own company will give you drastically different view about risks and costs that were previously hidden to you as an employee, and you'll come out with a better understanding of how "fair" is negotiated between the participating parties.

It is a strawman because he brought in the personal by saying "why don't you start your own company if you think pay is too high?" Exactly the same as film maker just saying "why don't you make your own movie if you want to criticize mine?"

Same as crypto defenders "why don't you short crypto if you think it is a scam?"

Anyway, I'm repeating myself already, good conversation, Thanks.

I answered the idea of "fair" compensation, but you don't seem interested in talking about that.

“bringing in the personal” as you put it is a great tool here that separates the wheat from the chaff. It’s very easy to say “I work hard, sometimes for long hours, I don’t see much difference between what I do and founders, surely they shouldn’t be paid that much more than me”, but the reality is that it _is_ that much harder and riskier and beneficial to society, and the profits reaped are evidence.

So you’re more than welcome to criticize, but they’re “cheap seats” comments to a certain degree.

To stay objective about it though, the financial incentive brings a lot of innovation which helps all of society. They’re not taking your piece of the pie, they just baked some more.

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