[pradn]

His constant defense of high-risk startups also acts as a defense of his own wealth. If you can do it, and deserve wealth for succeeding, I must deserve my wealth for the companies I've founded. I'm not saying one shouldn't be rewarded for founding useful businesses. I'm saying there's a whole lot of mystification, self-mythmaking, and luck involved.

For the average person, being born to a somewhat comfortable family, being able to train yourself into a good career, and being able to save and invest in a mundane way are far safer and comfortable ways to live a good, secure life. The gulf in security between someone like him now, and anyone but the very top percentiles in wealth is literally unimaginable for him, because he doesn't live the reality of an average person. His constant push in this direction is not much more than "let them eat cake", or "let them found startups".

[lupire]

pg has never cared about the average person. His thesis has always been that average people are bad and nerds should take over the world.

[ashtonkem]

Some of his bits about the superiority of the hacker mentality lead to some really distressing places if they're extended from the office and into politics.