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A review by kimmarques
Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble by Dan Lyons
1.0
Wow ... I hated this book!!
First of all, let's get something out of the way: this book is not funny. It's, I dunno, petty. And a bit vindictive.
But what's the most disappointing is the author makes some good points: about how tech companies are de-valuing labor, about how the funding and IPO model is broken. But he wraps it in such self-aggrandizing, ageist bullshit that it's impossible to take seriously.
In the first 15 pages, he talks about how astounded he is that Hubspot has hired him for a marketing position when he's got no marketing experience. Then he loses his mind that his boss is only 5 years out of college. Um, how are you surprised? This guy has 5 more years experience then you do - of course you report to him.
From that point on, you never hear about someone without also hearing about how old they are. He complains that everyone makes him feel old while he's busy writing a book about how young and dumb they all are. Pot? Meet kettle.
He also seems pretty out of touch for a guy who was a Newsweek tech reporter. If you reported on these companies so much how did you not know what you were getting into?
He complains that there's no diversity in tech, but then gets excited when he's in an LA writers room with all dudes where he can make jokes about "huge cocks and dry vaginas". He openly mocks his company on Facebook and wonders why he gets in trouble.
Now do I think he had some legitimate gripes about Hubspot? Sure. But I expected an experienced journalist to be able to frame it in a way that didn't make me hate him. Instead, he came across like a grumpy old man who had an axe to grind.
If you're looking for insight into the current state of the tech industry, this isn't your book. You want to hear a guy talk about how great he is and complain about his coworkers for 250 pages? This is your book.
First of all, let's get something out of the way: this book is not funny. It's, I dunno, petty. And a bit vindictive.
But what's the most disappointing is the author makes some good points: about how tech companies are de-valuing labor, about how the funding and IPO model is broken. But he wraps it in such self-aggrandizing, ageist bullshit that it's impossible to take seriously.
In the first 15 pages, he talks about how astounded he is that Hubspot has hired him for a marketing position when he's got no marketing experience. Then he loses his mind that his boss is only 5 years out of college. Um, how are you surprised? This guy has 5 more years experience then you do - of course you report to him.
From that point on, you never hear about someone without also hearing about how old they are. He complains that everyone makes him feel old while he's busy writing a book about how young and dumb they all are. Pot? Meet kettle.
He also seems pretty out of touch for a guy who was a Newsweek tech reporter. If you reported on these companies so much how did you not know what you were getting into?
He complains that there's no diversity in tech, but then gets excited when he's in an LA writers room with all dudes where he can make jokes about "huge cocks and dry vaginas". He openly mocks his company on Facebook and wonders why he gets in trouble.
Now do I think he had some legitimate gripes about Hubspot? Sure. But I expected an experienced journalist to be able to frame it in a way that didn't make me hate him. Instead, he came across like a grumpy old man who had an axe to grind.
If you're looking for insight into the current state of the tech industry, this isn't your book. You want to hear a guy talk about how great he is and complain about his coworkers for 250 pages? This is your book.