Linky Dinky

I agree with Bernie Sanders. The economy is rigged. In fact, it's what my father, who is very conservative, taught me about life. Some find it surprising because the general position of liberals seems to be that conservatives don't realize, or won't acknowledge, this rigged economy. But my dad's advice to me time and time again was that the world was rigged and the only way I could make it was to work harder than the people who were in charge of the rigging.

A few years ago I was walking through Harvard Square when a woman holding flyers for Elizabeth Warren stepped in front of me. She asked if I thought the government should pay off student's debts. I don't think the government should, but, then again I never had student loans. No, it wasn't because I was from a wealthy family. I never had student loans because I worked every semester I was in college, and during some summers, I worked two jobs. I did this because I thought the world was rigged against me.

I missed out on a lot, because I worked so much. I didn't have the life like many of the college students I've hired in the last few years. They study what they love -- philosophy, political science, art, regardless of whether or not they have good job prospects. They travel. Mostly they seem to go to Vietnam and Cambodia. They eat out a lot more than I did at their age. They know all the trendy restaurants and hot bars.

When I got out of college, I lived well below my means, saving $25,000 so I could start my first business. That business failed miserably. I ended up losing over $50,000 total. It took three years to pay off the credit card debt I racked up.

Over the next decade, I started three more businesses. Two of which failed. For one of them, a video yellow pages product I built with a friend in 2007, I used to take my vacation days from my "real" job and go door to door, selling video listings to small businesses. I lost a lot of my own money, as my disposable income never went to travel or luxury goods of any kind. It went to business ideas.

I kept at it because I believe, much like Bernie, that the world was rigged against me. I spent every evening after my day job working on side projects, learning new skills, reading. I didn't own a TV for a long time and, even to this day, I've never seen any of the classic shows people like to discuss: The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Game Of Thrones. I was working while they were on.

When I finally had a company that was successful, the experience of running it was more stressful than you could ever imagine. I had to deal with some really rough things. There was the time when, on the day we were supposed to close our Series C funding round, the lead investor called and said they weren't going to wire the money. We had six weeks of cash left, and now I had to figure out what to do. There was the time when two of my executives quit within 10 days of each other, making my board and employees all wonder what was going on, and if there was something detrimental going on at the company that I wasn't telling them.

There was a board meeting where, I took so many rapid fire shots from board members that one of my executives told me afterwards that he would never want to be a CEO and go through something like that. There were things that I can't write about publicly, but that, if you have ever run a company, you know what I'm talking about. It really sucks to be in charge sometimes.

Despite the strain that entrepreneurship put on my finances, my health, and my personal relationships, I kept at it because I wanted to be successful. And eventually, yes, I became a millionaire. It only took 15 years.

Along the way, I learned a lot. I created over 100 jobs. And in the end I helped build something useful for thousands of companies around the world. But when I hear Bernie speak, I feel like I'm the problem with America. I'm one of those millionaires he mentions who should pay more taxes. I'm the bad guy. I'm the white male who is only successful because everything was handed to me. I don't deserve the money I made. All the things I sacrificed don't matter. The additional stress I was under doesn't matter. The risks I took don't matter. According to Bernie, the world needs fewer people like me, and more people like the smart Yale student who majors in something useless, travels the world, and then graduates with $100,000 in debt that people like me should pay off via higher taxes.

Yes, the economy is rigged. Any economic structure will favor some at the expense of others. But the wonderful thing about America is that if you are willing to make the right sacrifices, you can achieve whatever you want. Unfortunately, we've come to believe that achievement should be easy. Changing that attitude is the first step towards making yourself more successful.

Rob May is the co-founder and CEO of Talla, a Massachusetts-based developer of an intelligent virtual assistant for recruiting teams. 

Interesting. The term "rigged" doesnt really apply here IMO. If rigged purely means ADVANTAGES that develop organically from the free system itself, then i dont think so...but when i think of rigged, i think of an intentional and basically unfair way of tipping the system in one's favor to gain advantage, as in cheating, bending rules etc and other manipulation.

Hard work is its own reward. And, people are very different in both their natural abilities in how they can be applied to a business and just basic working intellect. It is astounding how some people think and when you get into business, you'll see it ALL. Not everyone has what it takes to start a business and make it work. Hoops must be jumped through to prove yourself and build value. You have to applaud this guy who didnt give up and made something work. Thats the problem with Bernie Sanders, this entire issue. 

So naive SSFG ;) 

Let's use the example of the people who discovered graphene.

Actually lets use Thomas Edison.

You probably think he invented the lightbulb, right?

Wrong. Nikola Tesla did. Tesla was screwed by capitalism, and died poor and in love with a pigeon (seriously). Was it because he didn't work hard? 

Tesla invented/innovated many things others stole from him. 

Yes. Edison stole AC power distribution from Tesla, because Edison had the money and powerful corporations to do so.

It was rigged in his favor, because Tesla, no matter how "hard he worked" was no match against it.

The same applies today. It is absolutely rigged. 

Was it because he didn't work hard?

Brilliant scientific mind. Horrible business sense. 

Those rarely go hand in hand.

That's the entire point. Working hard means nothing, other than getting a mediocre paycheck. If that's what you want in life, then I pity you :) 

Edison had the name and connections. 

Life isn't fair. Can't win them all. 

There's that "I'll never be that smart, so I'll just steal from them instead" attitude. "Oh, life's just not fair" ... Until it works against you, then you cry how you got screwed.

Comical.

Maybe it's you knuckle draggers that need to work harder to keep up? 

Meanwhile, soup wishes death upon those that might steal his vacuum tube TV set from 1983. But you run to the defense of a "good old American capitalist thief" who simply stole the entire livelihood and life's work from someone brilliant.

Never ceases to amaze. 

There's that "I'll never be that smart, so I'll just steal from them instead" attitude. "Oh, life's just not fair" ... Until it works against you, then you cry how you got screwed.


Sounds like the words from the democrats and the attitude of why entitlement spending should increase. Ya remember fuzz keeping throwing money at the problem 

Meanwhile, soup wishes death upon those that might steal his vacuum tube TV set from 1983.

It's a Zenith from 1972.

Tube TV's weren't manufactured in 1983, fuzzy. They were done with those by then. 

CRTs were absolutely manufactured in 1983, but did use solid state transistors to drive the display. 

There's that "I'll never be that smart, so I'll just steal from them instead" attitude. "Oh, life's just not fair" ... Until it works against you, then you cry how you got screwed.


Sounds like the words from the democrats and the attitude of why entitlement spending should increase. Ya remember fuzz keeping throwing money at the problem

You lack the perspective to understand the irony in your analogy hood.

Try spending some time to actually think about it, instead of just arguing for the sake of "winning". 

It's a Zenith from 1972.



Heathkit? 

Sears. LOL 

Nope fuzz it's the left making excuses why the poor can't get ahead with all the obstacles in there way. The only solution is throw money at the problem to keep them in poverty 

Whatever you want to convince yourself of hood. 

I'm telling Ya. Hood is a broken record. Great comedy though 

But the wonderful thing about America is that if you are willing to make the right sacrifices, you can achieve whatever you want. Unfortunately, we've come to believe that achievement should be easy. Changing that attitude is the first step towards making yourself more successful.


Yes, that's exactly right. 

Ohhhhh so Edison made it by sacrificing Tesla. Now it all makes sense.

I'm going to sacrifice Emp to make my next $10M 

There's that "I'll never be that smart, so I'll just steal from them instead" attitude. "Oh, life's just not fair" ... Until it works against you, then you cry how you got screwed.

Comical.

Maybe it's you knuckle draggers that need to work harder to keep up?

That's some serious cry babying going on there. I'm not complaining. I've worked hard (and smart) for everything I've achieved and am content with my lot in life.

I make my own way and don't expect handouts or safety nets like whiney, hand wringing, progressive liberals do. 

So have I. What's your point? Liberals aren't demanding hand outs. People on both sides of the aisle are asking for a level playing field. You're missing the difference.

Trump is absolutely running on the sentiment that American jobs are unfair. This is where his followers come from.

If you've already "made it" in life, then why not help to open opportunities to other people? Or are you afraid that you'll become obsolete and lose what you feel entitled to? 

If you've already "made it" in life, then why not help to open opportunities to other people? Or are you afraid that you'll become obsolete and lose what you feel entitled to?

What makes you think I don't? Myself and 2 friends started a company 25 years ago that currently employs 50 people and is still growing. That's my contribution. If I'm successful, people around me are successful. Beyond that, I have no compulsion or obligation to help any further. I'm no martyr and don't pretend to be. 

There is nothing "rigged" or unfair about the American economy, opportunities or jobs. Its all a matter of how much a person wants to invest in themselves and sacrifice to achieve something. 

Here's what I hear from the Sanders crowd.

I got a student loan, majored in art history, can't get a job that pays more than Starbucks and offers good benefits. So, the government needs to pay my student loan and make benefits that others worked for available to me for free. 

Liberals aren't demanding hand outs.

Have you seen the Bernie supporters?

They go bananas whenever he mentions the FREE stuff. 

Liberals aren't demanding hand outs.

Worse, they EXPECT them. 

They go bananas whenever he mentions the FREE stuff.

Like the republicans do over tax cuts?

How is that different? You want all the things the government provides you, but think you don't have to pay for it.

FREE military
FREE Supreme Court decisions on gun rights
FREE police
FREE fire departments
FREE roads
FREE fossil fuel subsidies
FREE pensions 

Worse, they EXPECT them.

Because they believe themselves to be victims of a rigged society. Instead they are victims of their own decision making. 

You EXPECT those things, do you not? I guess you're entitled then. 

Emp, you're a felon by not disclosing your offshore accounts. You should really pay your taxes on that money you're illegally withholding.

I guess you feel entitled to that free money. 

Worse, they EXPECT them.


This is part of the trophy for participation crowd. 

Sure thing, criminal 

the money taxed when it was earned at some point. Unless he was a contractor making cash on the side I doubt he would make enough to have an offshore account 

LOL............ fuzzy is losing his wig. 

Like stocks being taxed at 15% that the left is against when essentially that money is being taxed twice when earned then again when sold 

"SSFG, so niaive"


You are awfully sure of yourself for a guy that's been wrong before on here. :) And, its working for me GREAT. I'm a small business person and i did it on my OWN, just working hard. Am i rich? Nope, but I'm happy doing what i do and i see everyday most people cant say that. Naive? No honey, no.