Y Combinator’s New Head

Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by yid on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @04:48PM (#7424868)

You run the risk of making this a self-fulfilling prophecy. An (economically, educationally, etc.) privileged background increases the ODDS of being successful; it is not a REQUIREMENT for success by any measure. If this is getting you down, I suggest you read some stories about people from the other end of the spectrum ending up at the same place. I don't have any links, but perhaps other people here do.

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by soneca on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @05:46PM (#7425241)

Well, if you learn about successfull people through Hollywood you would have the exactly opposite bias, that all successfull people came from a tough childhood.

Latest example, James Brown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F_pxMmOG4I (looks like a nice movie)

But you may add others such as Truman Capote, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_Capote#Early_life ; Dian Fossey, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dian_Fossey#Life_and_career ; Ray Charles, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Charles#Early_life; Charles Chaplin, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Chaplin#Biography.

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by 001sky on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @07:23PM (#7425781)

Executives are waaaaaaay more succussful than actors in hollywood. And you have none in your list. It might be enlightening to do a demographic study of industry executives and their lobbyists in Washington. And then report back with your findings. =D

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by untog on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @10:25PM (#7426466)

Executives are waaaaaaay more succussful than actors in hollywood.

In what sense?

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by eru on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @10:32PM (#7426489)

More money on average?

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by untog on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @11:02PM (#7426575)

Does that mean they're more successful? Honest question. Millions of people adore Brad Pitt, very few people know who the CEO of Apple is.

Now don't get me wrong, there are plenty of downsides to being a famous Hollywood actor. But I wouldn't assume success is absolutely all about money.

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by 001sky on Wednesday March 19, 2014 @12:13AM (#7426784)

For the person who thinks "money" is a shallow, why would "celebrity" be any "more fulfilling"? This is like comparig the health of two kinds of junk food.

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by untog on Wednesday March 19, 2014 @12:14AM (#7426786)

I'm just questioning why one junk food (as you put it) is more valuable than the other. I am unconvinced that it is.

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by 001sky on Wednesday March 19, 2014 @01:01AM (#7426917)

Interestingly, this leads to the heart of the analysis. Which is probability of success, control of success factors, and second best outcomes, given success doesn't happen. If you consider those more "rational" metrics (agnostic of money/fame), how would they compare?

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by eru on Wednesday March 19, 2014 @02:06AM (#7427071)

Second best outcomes (or even median outcomes) cuts to the heart of the matter. C list executives still get good money. C list actors not so much, and not even fame.

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by wz3chen on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @07:26PM (#7425792)

+1.

50 Cent is my #1 role model since he has achieved success despite adversity (Both of his parents were dead by the time he was 8 & he grew up in a rough neighborhood).

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by girvo on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @10:07PM (#7426412)

And got shot.

Like, 12 times.

So, try not to get too inspired by him ;)

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Re:Y Combinator’s New Head by Killswitch on Wednesday March 19, 2014 @01:42AM (#7427017)

Gotta give it to him though, the dude is an amazing businessman.

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