Paul GrahamVerified account

Nearly, if not very, impossible in every VC funded company.

You might have plausibly claimed that as late as 2000 or 2005, but it's not true now.

There’s a fundamental flaw in meritocracy: who decides one’s ability? Better way to put is would be, “when you’re doing something creative, listen to anyone who offers his advice but do what you think is best because you’re the only judge of your work”

With him I was talking about cases where there's no uncertainty, because the people doing the dictating and editing make no claim to ability. E.g. when corporate executives cut something from a script because it might offend China.

Reminds me of my father's advice to me, "Try and be rich if you can"

Or at least, try not to need money. Being rich solves that problem, but the other way to solve it, as many creative people have done throughout history, is to live inexpensively.