We actually thought about doing YC and demurred because (1) it wasn't a great deal and (2) because the batch size was so big, it wasn't a particularly good signal anymore. I've heard from other founders that they have so many startups no one gets much individual attention.
I do not understand why the mods flagged the sibling comment. It was on topic, directly related, and is a central issue for the given discussion.
Ah, yes, it’s because I tangentially pointed out exactly how much power YC has, and that’s bad for business. Got it. I’ll keep my head down before one of the powerful people reading this decides I need to get my account permanently penalized again until I learn my lesson and stop ever mentioning it.
You know what? I take it back. Please succeed without applying to YC. I wish there was a way to help you directly. And if you win, please try to help others win via the same route, or at least let people know that it’s possible. Best of luck.
I’m pretty bitter today for personal reasons, but not a single word of that comment was off topic, or dare I say mistaken. HN is inexorably linked to YC’s stranglehold on Silicon Valley, and moderation policy is not an off topic point. I don’t give a damn if you drag every one of my comments down to the very bottom for all eternity for saying this must because it’s true, because that’s just some small evil person exercising their power when someone else says a thing that worried them.
I’m logging out for a week while I figure out my life. Whoever is the person behind that flag button that you pretend the community controls when in fact it’s you personally, please, stop and consider for one moment that you’ve already won, and there’s no reason to cull voices just because you want to. It’s scary, and smart people do exist who see what’s happening. It might take 20 years for your power to finally crumble, but stuff like this is exactly how it’ll slip away.
Forget it. I put so much of my heart and soul into every one of my comments, and all of my effort into actually writing substantive, interesting, on-topic, entertaining commments, and the one time I say something laced with a little bit of (directly on-topic) truth, one specific person clicks a button to disable it ostensibly for the community’s benefit. The whole thing is just creepy, especially since the goal is to hypnotize as many programmers as possible without directly saying so.
Am I wrong? If I’m mistaken, I am 100% okay with being mistaken. I’m fine with downvotes, I’m fine with seeming a little strange. My goal here is to speak to the community. I even tried to figure out these questions privately via email with you, and then one day you publicly accused me of abusing hn@ycombinator.com when I was literally just trying to figure out what you want me to say vs not say.
You got the power man, you’ve won. Congratulations. I hope startups like Parsnip show that the world can do it without you.
I didn't flag you, but I did downvote you for tone and being overly dramatic about the "risk" Parsnip is taking by not banging down the door of YC. YC is great for startups that it's great for, which is not _all_ startups. Additionally you made it sound like YC is going to hold some grudge because Parsnip decided not to participate (apply? accept? either way), which seems very weird.
Hey man, I've read your comments and just gotta say, there's definitely some pent-up emotion or something behind there. Whatever you're going through, I'm sorry, I feel for you, and I hope you come out the other side. I've been there.
I read your comment before it was flagged. I assume it was removed because you broke the first rule of this board: "Be Kind, Don't be snarky".
Your followup comment here also seems to break that rule. In general the combativeness you've added to your previous and current comment make for nonproductive discussions.
I appreciate the level headed reply. And I admit that that’s a very solid justification.
My life’s crumbling, and I’m sure that has at least a little bit to do with the lack of kindness.
I have a therapy appointment later this evening, and maybe that’ll do something. Money didn’t change a damn thing either. I’ll just bow out and let the world go.
Thank you for speaking to me directly. I hope you have a nice week, and life.
That didn't stop us from launching on HN though :-P https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32266086