These days I see far too many articles like this with everyone involved patting themselves on the back about how amazing they were (and are). If you take a closer look at what HN itself is: an ivory tower where uncomfortable truths are not allowed to be discussed, it also tells you something about what allowed PG and company to be so successful.
PG and company were and are undoubtedly very talented and with a unique set of values. But I'd far rather hear from someone more human who talks about failings and regrets. Even the most successful out there eventually seem to reach the point where they realize that society and culture have moved on and if they had to redo things, they would have done things differently. That once upon a time your hot takes were pretty useful, but that you're growing old and a bit out of touch and it's time for a deeper kind of reflection.
Those who keep blowing their own horn so loudly based on past successes so quickly fade into irrelevancy. Which is what I do see happening with PG and his like. HN is a fun place to hang out and learn some stuff. But if the cult around it had much to offer now I suspect there would be far fewer stories about how great things used to be and less of need to regularly insist it was.
This comment reflects a broader problem in our discourse: why can't it be both?
Why can't we acknowledge that some of the US constitution's framers were great men who also owned slaves? They weren't perfect. You can be great, and flawed at the same time.
Why can't we acknowledge that YC has had a massive positive impact on the world, while still acknowledging that it's a bit of an echo chamber and does promote a certain amount of self-congratulation?
PG and company were and are undoubtedly very talented and with a unique set of values. But I'd far rather hear from someone more human who talks about failings and regrets. Even the most successful out there eventually seem to reach the point where they realize that society and culture have moved on and if they had to redo things, they would have done things differently. That once upon a time your hot takes were pretty useful, but that you're growing old and a bit out of touch and it's time for a deeper kind of reflection.
Those who keep blowing their own horn so loudly based on past successes so quickly fade into irrelevancy. Which is what I do see happening with PG and his like. HN is a fun place to hang out and learn some stuff. But if the cult around it had much to offer now I suspect there would be far fewer stories about how great things used to be and less of need to regularly insist it was.