[duped]

Dishonesty is high signal for VC

Like no one characterizes it like that, but this is the same business where you can tell a story about hiring a bunch of college friends to pretend to be your employees so a client comes to your "office" and thinks you're a legitimate business. And instead of looking in horror at how casually you'll lie to get business it's seen as scrappy and whimsical.

[cco]

I think they're fairly open about looking for this signal, "be naughty" is one of their core tenants, no?

[jmuguy]

They probably saw good results with this back when everyone could take a piece of Craiglist's business and make a billion bucks. Now you're just left with the ethos of cheating your way to the top without a real business to attach it to.