TechCrunch is full of it

16 pointsby steve_larkmire13년 전13 comments

Having just left the TC hackathon, I'm disgusted with TC. Not because somebody showed an app with - shocking! - boobs in them. But by TCs dishonesty to their core audience and worse, the people they rely on to create value.

Let's face it, 95% of the coders at the Hackathon are guys. The TitStare app got more applause than any other submission while I was attending. Surprise, guys like tits.

And there's nothing wrong with guys liking tits. This isn't about equality or political correctness, this is about sucking up to the prude, American idea that, somehow, sex is evil. Ask any European or the two Australian dudes, America is still a very prude country. Apparently, even events held in the city of buttseks (SF), feel like they have to apologize for displaying boobs.

Now if they didn't like boobs I'd be ok with that. But TC is using lonely male programmers to make money. If lonely male programmers didn't come to the hackathon, nobody would cover it. So by pretending that boobs are outrageous and evil, TC is alienating their core value producers.

In fact, TC is treating the hackathon coders badly all over the place. They provide shitty soda, it's hard to get a drink that's not laden with HFCS. The few water dispensers they have, you have to carry 4 cups with you to quench your thirst. Anyone ever hear of bottled water? The food is cheap, crappy and unhealthy (tacos were the least unhealthy option).

The presenters treat the coders like cattle, cutting them off and making the same, lame comment about every single submission.

TC is not listening to the people they (ab-)use for their business model. If they don't change that, cater to coder, they will go out of business. There's a reason most SF coders are already fed up with TC and don't go to the hackathon.

If you're going to use my unpaid labor to promote your conference, please at least allow me the dignity to stare at tits on my iPhone.

5 comments

Dimitris13년 전

I think I will have to disagree with you in some parts.

The fact that the majority of the coders are guys doesn't mean that it's ok to create an app which shows boobs and then present it to a few thousand people. Although, I am sure those guys did it for a laugh, they did not understand the repercussions of their actions. With your logic it would be acceptable to put porn movies on a screen, just because guys like porn.

What would you say if the app displayed "male parts"?

I am European and I am pretty sure that if that happened here the response would be more fierce. A porn app is not liberalizing sex, it's just making things worst.

Finally, a business which succumbs to the desires of its clients, when those desires are exorbitant, is simply not a business to trust.

steve_larkmire13년 전

I'd totally be ok with a DickStare app - or a porn movie. What's wrong with naked people and sex?

Let's grow up. Sex isn't bad, and liking sex and liking girls are both natural and non-harmful. No one ever died from watching a porn movie or having their tits stared at.

wetmore13년 전

You're missing the point if you think the objection to these sort of apps is about being prudish and finding something wrong with naked people and sex. You're arguing against a strawman.

steve_larkmire13년 전

So what is the point?

Dimitris13년 전

You are right, there is nothing wrong with that. However, imho this app objectified girls and I highly doubt that anyone would use it. If you want to see boobs, you can go to a porn site, no need to have a separate app on your phone.

Again, I get the point that you are trying to make. I just don't think it's appropriate to present such an app or behave like that in front of a few thousand people.

steve_larkmire13년 전

Most of the thousands of people seem to disagree with you. The TitStare app got by far the best response from the audience.

drone13년 전

Who cares about sexism and the exclusion of women in tech, when there is HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP IN MY SODA?! The tacos suck!

Great priorities there, hoss. </sarcasm>

rhizome13년 전

It appears the guy has never heard of Mountain Dew.

steve_larkmire13년 전

Pro tip: If you have to use sarcasm tags, it's not sarcasm.

jnardiello13년 전

As a male, i love tits. As a European from a super-conservative catholic (still men-driven) country (Italy) i found the TitStare presentation a weird mix of funny and childish. Still could be enjoyable and with a bit of sense of humor i think that even a woman would have made a laugh.

The jerking-guy presentation on contrary was just stupid, sense-less, unnecessary and idiotic.

steve_larkmire13년 전

I saw a woman laugh at the TitStare app.

glesica13년 전

Oh don't worry folks! He's got a black friend!

keywonc13년 전

Interesting point, but let's not forget the fact not everyone is happy with tit jokes in public, and shit like this makes it harder for women to get interested in tech, perpetuating the 95% argument you make.

My take: TC degraded/alienated BOTH its core audience (male coders) and female audience.

davidsmith890013년 전

- I respect your opinion and thought but I love how TC brings together startups from different places. Most things, people and organizations will always have imperfections/mistakes. Still, there are many startups (that I've seen on TCs website) that have changed my way of thinking. I guess we just gotta take the good with the bad.