Why Startups Condense in America

bariswheel writes "The controversial genius developer/writer/entertainer Paul Graham writes an insightful piece on Why Startups Condense in America. Here's the skinny: "The US allows immigration, it is a rich country, it is not (yet) a police state, the universities are better, you can fire people, work is less identified with employment, it is not too fussy, it has a large domestic market, it has venture funding, and it has dynamic typing for careers. Inquire for details within."

It's the Coke

[Anonymous Coward]

Duh! It's because American companies can negotiate better deals with the Coca-Cola Co. (or PepsiCo if they prefer it), which enables them to have those free drink machines. Free drinks draws in the geeks, which results in heavily caffeinated smart people. Wrangle a few MBAs together to lord over them and you have a successful startup.

Re:the Western nation that least protects its work

[Anonymous Coward]

I myself just finished a hard 16 hour day sewing shoes for chicken feed.

I apologize, but I enjoyed the fact that "least" was in all caps.

I'm a consumer whore. And how!

[Draracle]

In America you can put a rock in a box, give it a name, and make millions. Why would you not want to start a company in a nation with that level of purchase discretion? "Now with more sodium -- Sweet Jesus!!!"

Re:Better Universities?

[gEvil (beta)]

So, as much as I hate chaufinism...

I can't stand it either. Learn to drive your own damn car!

Re:It's the Coke

[Velox_SwiftFox]

The condensation of the startups is triggured by concentrations of what is called "Dark Money". Should synergistic fusion occur they may eventually explode in a brilliant IPO display.

Re:Better Universities?

[Antifuse]

Bahahahaha! Yes, American college students, they never party! They are all studiously sitting at their desks every Saturday night, because they got all that partying out of the way in high school. It's not like they're living away from home for the first time, and are able to party even MORE frequently/ferociously. /sarcasm

Re:Better Universities?

[value_added]

So, as much as I hate chaufinism (either US or otherwise), this is not it but just a basic truth.

I don't know whether it can characterised as "chaufinism," but in the US people do seem to prefer driving themselves around, even when going to school, and insist that the the right hand side of the road is, well, the right side of the road on which to be driving.

Or did you mean "chauvinism?" ;-)

Career Change...

[Avogadros Letter]

... and it has dynamic typing for careers...

Excellent! I've been looking for a new career! I dynamically type 65-180 WPM.

Re:startups

[Anonymous Coward]

As a European I find the article rather America-centric.

More importantly, as an American, I find the article rather America-centric.

Re:Better Universities?

[Anonymous Coward]

Which is EXACTLY the way it should be. A real economy takes a number of different classes of people to work, from those who do more abstract, brain oriented tasks such as executives and marketing folks, to those that have to do the grunt work, such as engineers and construction workers. The fact that poor people cannot afford to go to university is a sign that the economy is robust and that America is doing something right. Now hopefully we can just continue to keep the bleeding heart liberals from fucking it all up...