As mtmail said, there seem to be a lot of people that hate them. But then again, there's lots of people who hate BigCorp and its culture. There's lots of people who hate government IT and its culture.
I've been a software person for a long time, and I've learned that there's no perfect environment. Some are less toxic than others, though. And which ones are "less toxic" isn't necessarily a function of whether it's a startup (though there may be a higher fraction of people who don't know how to manage - or even how to be a grownup - in the start up world).
If you're in a reasonably sane and healthy environment, don't casually leave it. A better deal may be much harder to find than you think.
While its definitely true that corporate companies and startup-ey companies each have their pros and cons, what really gets me is the holier-than-thou attitude that seems to be at the core of modern startup culture.
I mean how often do you hear somebody saying that you should "quit their startup job to come work in the corporate world"? On HN for example, there is a pervasive view that the ultimate nirvana for anyone's life is to do your own startup or "side-project".
That said I'm not saying you shouldn't do a startup if you want to or that they are even a bad thing. Larger organisations, especially in the IT industry, have definitely benefited from some of the practices made popular by startups. Just don't try and tell me that working in a startup will be in any way more enjoyable than working for a corporation. It will be for some people, but I'd argue not most people and certainly not all.
Startups are the reason I can't have a stable/steady job because they all require me to work 15 hours a day and also work on weekends, if I don't appeal enough to the get-rich-quick boss, I'm fired.
First off, I don't live in the US. Secondly, I'm not anti-startup—pro-bigcorp, both are awful and good in many ways.
My problem with startups is that everyone expects everyone else to be a robot nowadays, so many principles, toxic environments, too much bullshit and I've got enough of it.
I think HN was a lot healthier when YC was new and young and their ethos was they a give a few bucks to two or three young guys who shoot for ramen profitable. And that succeeded and now they have all kinds of dough and are trying to find and fund The Next Unicorn.
Kind of like how HGTV started as a low budget thing aimed at DIYers and turned into Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless after it got successful enough.
I don't know how or even if "startup culture" can be returned to its roots, but I think that's the problem right there. Now YC imagines it shall save the world or some crap and is running a Basic Income experiment and has, imo, lost its way.
I don't hate startups, but I hate what has become of the culture recently. It wasn't always like this.
I have never been involved with one, directly or indirectly, so I can't comment on the culture. I am planning to start one though.
However, as a strict outsider looking at things, I find it amusing that every startup claims to disrupt something or the other, many times things that have already been claimed to be disrupted by others, and there is hardly anything to separate one from its competitors in terms of technology. I find it no different than every bigco claiming they are leader in something or the other (which could be arguably true in some cases) but often simply recreating the same technology the competitors have for any number of reasons. In both cases there is tremendous amount of cliche in the way they talk or present their ideas while overselling themselves, which sometimes amuses and sometimes annoys.
With the companies I've experienced, I try very hard to hate the game, not the player. With that said, there's only so many buzzwords, tee shirts under sportcoats, sizing-me-up-and-letting-me-know meetings, assumptions that I'll work for free, emails and conference call gcal invites on federal holidays (like Christmas Day), and more that I can take. Primarily, the peacocking and existential fear to fit in has crippled nearly all the would-be CEOs of actual companies (that turn a profit, even of the ramen variety). Instead, the one round of seed capital (whether its with the suits over in California or daddy's golf friends) tends to get to their head.
I've often thought of becoming my own boss out of spite, but I'm a little too inexperienced and don't quite have my own idea fleshed out to put my whole life on hold just yet. I like the show Silicon Valley, but they tend to (obviously) over-exaggerate the stereotype of start-up types. There's a very real undercurrent of the schoolyard need to "fit in" that weaves through most startup-y people, and the closer I get to it all, the funnier it is.
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[ 2.8 ms ] story [ 37.6 ms ] threadI've been a software person for a long time, and I've learned that there's no perfect environment. Some are less toxic than others, though. And which ones are "less toxic" isn't necessarily a function of whether it's a startup (though there may be a higher fraction of people who don't know how to manage - or even how to be a grownup - in the start up world).
If you're in a reasonably sane and healthy environment, don't casually leave it. A better deal may be much harder to find than you think.
I mean how often do you hear somebody saying that you should "quit their startup job to come work in the corporate world"? On HN for example, there is a pervasive view that the ultimate nirvana for anyone's life is to do your own startup or "side-project".
That said I'm not saying you shouldn't do a startup if you want to or that they are even a bad thing. Larger organisations, especially in the IT industry, have definitely benefited from some of the practices made popular by startups. Just don't try and tell me that working in a startup will be in any way more enjoyable than working for a corporation. It will be for some people, but I'd argue not most people and certainly not all.
Seriously, I hate startups and their culture.
Even in start ups not all jobs are that bad... maybe in California but here in NYC I've had a better experience when looking.
My problem with startups is that everyone expects everyone else to be a robot nowadays, so many principles, toxic environments, too much bullshit and I've got enough of it.
Kind of like how HGTV started as a low budget thing aimed at DIYers and turned into Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless after it got successful enough.
I don't know how or even if "startup culture" can be returned to its roots, but I think that's the problem right there. Now YC imagines it shall save the world or some crap and is running a Basic Income experiment and has, imo, lost its way.
I don't hate startups, but I hate what has become of the culture recently. It wasn't always like this.
However, as a strict outsider looking at things, I find it amusing that every startup claims to disrupt something or the other, many times things that have already been claimed to be disrupted by others, and there is hardly anything to separate one from its competitors in terms of technology. I find it no different than every bigco claiming they are leader in something or the other (which could be arguably true in some cases) but often simply recreating the same technology the competitors have for any number of reasons. In both cases there is tremendous amount of cliche in the way they talk or present their ideas while overselling themselves, which sometimes amuses and sometimes annoys.
I've often thought of becoming my own boss out of spite, but I'm a little too inexperienced and don't quite have my own idea fleshed out to put my whole life on hold just yet. I like the show Silicon Valley, but they tend to (obviously) over-exaggerate the stereotype of start-up types. There's a very real undercurrent of the schoolyard need to "fit in" that weaves through most startup-y people, and the closer I get to it all, the funnier it is.