How People Get Rich Now

Re:How People Get Rich Now by hexhex on Monday April 12, 2021 @01:17PM (#26782147)

My two cents on why his writings are popular: - He uses anecdotal evidence which appears to be sound at first. Looking at the top 100 billionaires seems to give a good idea on how wealth is created and distributed, but really it is only a glimpse at a much bigger phenomenon (especially since the data only comes from two years). - His style of writing is very accessible and natural. He wrote an article on his style (http://www.paulgraham.com/simply.html), and it seems to strike a chord with technicians who prefer this over more complicated prose.

I feel these are the same reasons for why effective altruism is so popular among technicians. It offers clear cut answers, and avoids uncomfortable questions.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How People Get Rich Now by jrochkind1 on Monday April 12, 2021 @01:29PM (#26782342)

Also his conclusions are what some people want to hear, that confirms their worldview.

This is not at all unique to PG, you and I and everyone does the same thing, at least to some extent, in choosing what argument/opinion pieces (now the dominant form of textual media?) we are tickled by.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How People Get Rich Now by milesskorpen on Monday April 12, 2021 @01:54PM (#26782682)

Same reason Malcolm Gladwell is popular — it's pop science/economics/whatever, made to be readable and digestible, but over simplifies (and sometimes falsifies) in the process.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How People Get Rich Now by jonny_eh on Monday April 12, 2021 @02:07PM (#26782870)

At least Gladwell's writings are not so obviously self-serving.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How People Get Rich Now by tommyderami on Monday April 12, 2021 @01:56PM (#26782717)

Could you expand on the last sentence a bit more regarding effective altruism? Are the uncomfortable questions related to the utilitarian nature of how the movement racks and stacks the causes they choose to support or not?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:How People Get Rich Now by hexhex on Monday April 12, 2021 @02:10PM (#26782921)

I was more referring to the fact that EA promotes philanthropy instead of asking why we have inequalities in the first place. So it evades questions of redistribution or fairness in a similar fashion as PG.

I'm not quite sure how strong the analogy is though.

[ Parent | on HN ]