I know this was never your intention with this post - BUT going to leave this comment anyways.
Benn Stancil was a guy for me that took just a few minutes to walk me through his company’s data stack back in 2018. He introduced me to Snowflake and told me to look into dbt. This was a super helpful early push in the right direction and has been hugely beneficial for me ever since. Thank You!!!
Thanks, that's much kinder than I deserve (and thanks for the thoughtful conversations here; half the ideas for posts come from talking to other people like this, so I'm very appreciative of you letting me farm your thoughts for things to talk about).
I swear I kearn as much from the links as the blog itself. Live the term 'Goat rodeo' abd I was fascinated by the Shiri's scissor piece. Still not sure what to think about the whole Aktman vs AU debate but it is interesting as hell.
Nice perspective. It makes me wonder though, would anyone have put their loyalty at public display for Altman if he wasnt the poster child of venture world and the most happening guy in SV currently? Power does strange things to people and those around them.
As a wiser person has said, "Character is like a tree and reputation is its shadow, it is what we think of, but tree is the real thing" tldr: depends on the vantage point.
So some focus on being the tree and some the shadow I guess.
To your first question, I doubt it? Some people, sure, but I'm sure it's easier to stand up for the popular person who everyone says has been unfairly treated than someone with more mixed support. Which, for what it's worth, doesn't make the support disingenuous or any less "real," I don't think. But it's just...politics? My guess is that he's mostly like other SV elites in most ways—ambitious, ruthless in that ambition, etc—but he's avoided the various negative brands that typically go along with that because he's also been been supportive of so many people.
Nov 28, 2023·edited Nov 28, 2023Liked by Benn Stancil
Certainly not all disingenuous but not fully rational either I suppose! This is what most cult leaders (of SV and beyond) are made of. I think the power of transference is the psychological term for it (https://hbr.org/2004/09/why-people-follow-the-leader-the-power-of-transference). That is why I tend to agree that the reputation is as real as a shadow, totally in the eyes of the beholder.
One thing is for sure, Altman has played the playbook of amassing followers very well, driven by all the things you have noted very well.
This article is 1) interesting, and 2) makes me now thing altman is altman because he made half of silicon valley think he's their disapproving father.
I read a bunch about the Rawls Nozick debate 15 years ago, and remember it being really interesting. I don't remember the details anymore, but (as far as philosophy debates go), it's a good time.
I know this was never your intention with this post - BUT going to leave this comment anyways.
Benn Stancil was a guy for me that took just a few minutes to walk me through his company’s data stack back in 2018. He introduced me to Snowflake and told me to look into dbt. This was a super helpful early push in the right direction and has been hugely beneficial for me ever since. Thank You!!!
Thanks, that's much kinder than I deserve (and thanks for the thoughtful conversations here; half the ideas for posts come from talking to other people like this, so I'm very appreciative of you letting me farm your thoughts for things to talk about).
But also, don't make me start deleting comments.
Haha. I'll try. Keep up the good farming - thats the hard work. Planting seeds is easy.
You’re a gem, Benn. E.P.L.
Thanks, but also, EPL took me some digging.
I swear I kearn as much from the links as the blog itself. Live the term 'Goat rodeo' abd I was fascinated by the Shiri's scissor piece. Still not sure what to think about the whole Aktman vs AU debate but it is interesting as hell.
Goat rodeo is pretty good. I guess Kara Swisher is Kara Swisher for a reason.
Nice perspective. It makes me wonder though, would anyone have put their loyalty at public display for Altman if he wasnt the poster child of venture world and the most happening guy in SV currently? Power does strange things to people and those around them.
As a wiser person has said, "Character is like a tree and reputation is its shadow, it is what we think of, but tree is the real thing" tldr: depends on the vantage point.
So some focus on being the tree and some the shadow I guess.
To your first question, I doubt it? Some people, sure, but I'm sure it's easier to stand up for the popular person who everyone says has been unfairly treated than someone with more mixed support. Which, for what it's worth, doesn't make the support disingenuous or any less "real," I don't think. But it's just...politics? My guess is that he's mostly like other SV elites in most ways—ambitious, ruthless in that ambition, etc—but he's avoided the various negative brands that typically go along with that because he's also been been supportive of so many people.
Certainly not all disingenuous but not fully rational either I suppose! This is what most cult leaders (of SV and beyond) are made of. I think the power of transference is the psychological term for it (https://hbr.org/2004/09/why-people-follow-the-leader-the-power-of-transference). That is why I tend to agree that the reputation is as real as a shadow, totally in the eyes of the beholder.
One thing is for sure, Altman has played the playbook of amassing followers very well, driven by all the things you have noted very well.
This article is 1) interesting, and 2) makes me now thing altman is altman because he made half of silicon valley think he's their disapproving father.
:))
Also had never heard about John 'Don't call me Lou' Rawls and the justice theory. Going to have to read up in that too.
I read a bunch about the Rawls Nozick debate 15 years ago, and remember it being really interesting. I don't remember the details anymore, but (as far as philosophy debates go), it's a good time.