Agree. Most business owners as well would have little success with this unless they have desperate employees where desperate means "can't quit for economic reasons".
Except for celebrities (of who PG is certainly a celebrity with the majority of people who get into YC or are on HN (although not as much)).
Jobs can do this. PG can do this. Others of equivalent stature can because they have what others want. So those "others" will eat all types of shit in order to get their ticket punched.
Most people who aren't desperate for their job (or an investment) will not put up with abusive type behavior. They will walk. For the record I had done that back when I was in college. First time it happened.
Money and tolerance for abuse are closely related.
For the record the thing that bothers me more is the tone and anger as opposed to the words.