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Re:Ask HN: Your favorite Startup School moments? by rms on Sunday October 25, 2009 @06:02AM (#901442)
I accidentally insulted Mark Zuckerberg. I asked my question about PR lessons and he kind of put it back to me.

If I had had Zuckerberg's PR lessons, I would have more deftly answered his yes or no question with an explanation, but I was kind of uncomfortable since I wasn't expecting to have a dialog.

I do think that going through the process of PR training makes one less interesting. It's not that he and other high-profile CEOs aren't honest, it's that they are hyper-aware of their words and are most comfortable sharing thoughts they have already had, the particular talking points that they know are ok to repeat in public. To me, candor is always more interesting than old thoughts.

Anyways, that's what I was thinking; I'm aware I kind of looked like an asshole. Sorry about that; didn't want to create any question drama. I apologized afterwards and he said he didn't care and thought it was funny.

Zuckerberg was probably my favorite talk. In a room full of entrepreneurs, none of us will probably achieve what he has achieved. Most of us aren't even trying for something like that.

Re:Ask HN: Your favorite Startup School moments? by projectileboy on Sunday October 25, 2009 @06:39AM (#901479)
Dude, I didn't take it that way - the tone with which you asked the question seemed more like genuine curiosity, as opposed to trolling. Hopefully Mark took it that way as well...?
Re:Ask HN: Your favorite Startup School moments? by rms on Sunday October 25, 2009 @07:10AM (#901503)
:) I thought Jessica looked a little horrified. And I had some people mention it to me later how I "insulted" Mark. Mark himself was definitely not offended or insulted.
Re:Ask HN: Your favorite Startup School moments? by projectileboy on Tuesday October 27, 2009 @01:38AM (#904930)
I agree - he didn't seem offended to me. As evidence, I remembered yesterday that he actually followed up with a really great comment that I think a lot of folks missed. I'm paraphrasing, but it was something like: "Everyone likes controversial questions and controversial answers, but we don't necessarily learn a lot from them."
Re:Ask HN: Your favorite Startup School moments? by jmtame on Sunday October 25, 2009 @05:17PM (#902157)
It seemed really awkward, and judging from the stare he gave you just before he walked off the stage, I would say he got a little offended.