Holding back
Last week I was reviewing some old posts and realized that this blog is mostly upbeat, especially when it comes to startups.
Obviously I'm not super positive on all things I experience online. There are some sites/services that just don't work for me.
But I've avoided giving negative reviews here. Its probably because I don't want to offend the founders or the investors behind the company. And the one thing I really don't like about this vc business is the comfort I see some investors have freely pissing on other people's investments. Its way too easy and typically not very useful.
Yet, I'm not satisfied with a blog that is filled with proud posts about our portfolio companies or my friends companies or all the cool products and services I'm using these days.
I don't know the answer yet.
But I don't like holding back.
there's big reasons for holding back. avoiding many things, like offending friends, inviting trolls, preaching apples to apples or oranges. that said, holding back isn't much fun.
Posted by: John Pritchard | June 12, 2007 at 08:42 AM
While there are certainly justifiable business reasons for holding back, I would guess most readers of your blog like your unvarnished opinions whether they are on politics, digital cameras, or businesses. My $0.04 (adjusted for inflation)
Posted by: Don | June 12, 2007 at 09:34 AM
I've really struggled with getting the right balance of this in my blogging. I think you can be critical of other people / things without being abusive, as long as you tell a story and teach a lesson. I'm conscious to keep things anonymous when it's about a specific situation. Finding your own tone is hard - but I encourage it - the negative is as important as the positive (and in many cases more important.)
Posted by: Brad Feld | June 12, 2007 at 10:15 AM
There are plenty of VC-oriented blogs out there that occupy the more negative end of the spectrum. Given that, I find your upbeat tone refreshing. Still, I suspect you're in a position to provide highly insightful criticism that I would value a lot. So I encourage you to call it as you see it, within reason, despite the risks.
Posted by: Dean Richardson | June 12, 2007 at 01:49 PM
Hi!
Your blog is very interesting.
Kelly
Posted by: kelly | June 12, 2007 at 11:56 PM
Ben Franklin (I think) said: "It is fair to criticize a man's actions but not his motives."
Sam Rayburn said: "You don't have to explain what you don't say." and also “No one has a finer command of language than the person who keeps his mouth shut.”
Posted by: Steve Kane | June 14, 2007 at 12:53 PM
Bijan, When I was younger I thought there was a nobility in unvarnished "truth", which of course was really just snarky opinion on my part. As I've gotten old the productivity of positive thinking has become clearer to me.
We're in a world of new thinking, where it's too easy to dismiss thinkers with a gesture or a glib comment based on yesterday's thoughts, rather than tomorrow's promise. Innovation comes from optimism not know-it-all-ism.
Trying and failing gets us further. And trying comes from folks like you who make the thinkers feel better about their futures. Keep it up.
Posted by: Fred Seibert | June 15, 2007 at 08:57 AM