[CptJamesCook]

"Kat Manalac – Does YC fund and work with later stage companies? Do you want me to kick that over to you?

Anu Hariharan – So yes, yes we do. So the YC continuity fund that was launched two years ago, our primary goal is to really help support the companies in the growth state. So we do invest in companies in the later stage."

She managed to start every sentence with the word 'so'. Very impressive :)

[partisan]

People have become comfortable with casual colloquialisms in places where they were not previously appropriate. I've noticed lately that many reporters and contributors on news programs have been saying "so", "you know" and "sort of". The reporter on Bloomberg TV just said "meh". The use of "sort of" irks me the most. At best, it is filler. At worst, it is a tell that the reporter is not completely confident in what they are saying.

[autokad]

I hate using filler words, but i have trouble stopping myself. in my head i am thinking while talking:

dont use filler word

dont use filler word

filler word

#@#K!#@!

Its tough

[thinkfurther]

It's easy to notice with others, especially since they often use filler words we don't use. But I know when I try to speak in complete sentences without bloat to a friend (not that I ever spoke at ceremonies, but I assume it would be easier in more somber contexts), just for kicks, it takes enormous concentration. It's enjoyable, but it made me realize just how sloppy I talk 99% of the time compared to what is possible and grammatically correct. For example, "very impressive" isn't even a sentence, even if you end it with a smiley. So. :P

I hate having nothing to good to contribute on the actual topic, since I don't know anything about funding and frankly don't care enough to sit through this, so I guess this is kinda white knighting; I just think it's counterproductive to smirk at someones slightest whiff of insecurity. It might mean they don't believe in what they say, it might mean something else or nothing other than bad habits (which, as I said, I think we all have, most of us don't speak or even write very well).

Have you ever see a video of pg talking in public? Oh boy, and I don't mean this as a dig at him or anyone. That's because when someone has something to say, whether I find it valuable or not, if they genuinely mean it and find it interesting, it's not just basic courtesy, but also basic self-preservation to not get hung up too much on these small things that are orthogonal. Make fun of them for that if they're your friend, or after having dealt with their main point on its own terms and refuted it resoundingly or something, but not as the first and only thing. (please don't take this as me berating you, it's not meant that way. I'm just thinking aloud if you will, I should heed this advice myself more)

I remember being on a forum where there was this kind of wild person who used to write huge walls of text without any punctuation. Most people liked them, they had a huge heart, but I'm pretty sure I was one of the few or even the only one to really make an effort to read their posts in full and parse them, and then reply in earnest. The posts were worth it and I cherished our conversations a lot, they teached me a lot, and not about "having patience" or anything like that either, they had genuine treasures buried in those walls of text. And because I took them seriously, I could also playfully practice writing better with them, and while I doubt that helped a lot, it felt right and I'm glad I didn't overlook them. Sorry for the tangent, and I know it doesn't really apply here, but generally, make sure to decipher first before dismissing. If someone is talking nonsense even in their own language as they mean it, I don't want to weaken my own case with trivial things.

[cbanek]

So, what's your point?