[mcny]

I'm not trying to defend Bryan Cantrill. Far from it.

I think people in silicon valley often forget how privileged they are. The application question is basically asking

What have you personally done in your life? Why should we give you a chance? I think Bryan Cantrill suffers from a lack of perspective. Like if you ask Taylor Swift about how to be a successful artist and she says just follow your dreams and everything will fall into place, I imagine Bryan hasn't had to justify his personal contributions anywhere in a long time likely because they are just obvious and do easy to see. Now compare that to someone like me who has only worked on line of business applications. I try to be honest which in my mind sounds like I'm being humble but from the other side it just sounds like I'm unaccomplished and have poor listening/comprehension skills.

In any case, I think this thread needs to be less about Bryan Cantrill and more about YC.

Bryan Cantrill's Wikipedia page says he asked a kernel developer if he had ever kissed a girl as a one line reply to a technical discussion. My instinct whenever I hear accusations like those by Valerie is to say maybe there's a different perspective but I don't think there is one in this case. Regardless of all this (and his association with a company that stupidly offers lifetime hosting to paying members and later yanks it which is essentially fraud), I think the arguments he makes stand on their own. These aren't arguments I could make because I'm a nobody but I'm glad someone is making regardless of how flawed they are.

[eurticket]

> if you ask Taylor Swift about how to be a successful artist and she says

Just have your father buy a record label.

> I think Bryan Cantrill suffers from a lack of perspective.

I think it could be interpreted in a lot of ways, god forbid anyone criticize the language and connotations in YCs questions. The questions asked so broadly/abstractly open them up for this type of thing and if there are problems more people should speak up, until there are better questions being asked. This can all still happen while also still loving what YC can provide.

> These aren't arguments I could make because I'm a nobody

This is exactly why you should express how you feel about these things, as much as you also want the conversation to be less about Bryan and more about YC, you're basically saying you have the same passionate nature but choose to be silent. And if you did speak up, it would be without the bulk amount of negative attention if you were wrong, but all the benefit if you provide something of value and were right.