There's more good than bad in this post, but Ben had to ruin it, and his credibility in general, with this:
Bottom feeding publications such as Valley Wag
Valleywag is cynical and harsh, but it has done more good for technology and humanity than all of Sand Hill Road combined. Ridicule is extremely powerful (see: Stetson Kennedy's exposé of the KKK in the 1960s) at taking down a reputable evil.
In the ongoing war between Frat Boys and People of Substance (aka Real Technologists) the Frat Boys have local advantage, because they've got better playa skillz with the VCs. It takes a continuous rash of ridicule to draw attention to the global concerns of technological advancement (also known as Real Technology) and keep us out of the shitty local maxima that Frat Boys tend to bring us to. If we want People of Substance to have a chance in the VC-funded world, we need a strong "yellow journalism" to ridicule bad actors and, thereby, clear the field a bit for the good.
If Ben Horowitz really can't see this, then he doesn't deserve to be a leading investor. Of course, this post is five years old and his views may have involved.
"Valleywag is cynical and harsh, but it has done more good for technology and humanity than all of Sand Hill Road combined."
Your hyperbole is misplaced. Has Valleywag done some good? Sure. Does it produce a bunch of unsubstantiated gossip that hurts people? Yes. Sand Hill Road on the other hand has provided funding for entities such as google, amazon, genentech, netscape, sun, lotus, AOL, etc. Are you seriously saying valleywag (not satire / ridicule) has provided more good for tech and humanity than sand hill? If so I would suggest you're delusional.
Since when do "People of Substance" resort to ridicule? An actual person of substance is off building the thing they want to see in the world and ignoring the games of status-obsessed people.
Centuries later, we still read Voltaire in school. Our kids won't be studying Valleywag. It is clear you are upset with people on Sand Hill Road, but your extreme claim cannot be taken seriously. Valleywag may occasionally draw attention to problems, but you ruined the credibility of your statement by trying to say they contribute more than everyone on Sand Hill Road.
Bottom feeding publications such as Valley Wag
Valleywag is cynical and harsh, but it has done more good for technology and humanity than all of Sand Hill Road combined. Ridicule is extremely powerful (see: Stetson Kennedy's exposé of the KKK in the 1960s) at taking down a reputable evil.
In the ongoing war between Frat Boys and People of Substance (aka Real Technologists) the Frat Boys have local advantage, because they've got better playa skillz with the VCs. It takes a continuous rash of ridicule to draw attention to the global concerns of technological advancement (also known as Real Technology) and keep us out of the shitty local maxima that Frat Boys tend to bring us to. If we want People of Substance to have a chance in the VC-funded world, we need a strong "yellow journalism" to ridicule bad actors and, thereby, clear the field a bit for the good.
If Ben Horowitz really can't see this, then he doesn't deserve to be a leading investor. Of course, this post is five years old and his views may have involved.