I think much of what we see here is the media engaging in the age-old sensationalist tradition of turning on its darlings.
However, I think there is some legitimate discussion going on in these anti-YC articles.
For example, it is an interesting and open question whether it's wise or healthy for the market to develop so-called "built to flip" companies. While YC isn't exclusively in the built-to-flip business, it happens to be a vocal advocate for this model where there once was none.
Generally, PG (chief ideologist for YC) is interested in doing disruptive things in the realm of startup funding. Disruptive people tend to often be both spectacularly right and spectacularly wrong -- PG no exception -- and I think that traits make a person more polarizing.
I don't think it's necessarily a knee-jerk to dislike a company because you disagree with it's chief ideologist. Look at Apple and Steve Jobs -- it seems to me that everything about the guy permeates every nook of the company. If you don't like him, you're probably not going to love Apple products.
However, I think there is some legitimate discussion going on in these anti-YC articles.
For example, it is an interesting and open question whether it's wise or healthy for the market to develop so-called "built to flip" companies. While YC isn't exclusively in the built-to-flip business, it happens to be a vocal advocate for this model where there once was none.
Generally, PG (chief ideologist for YC) is interested in doing disruptive things in the realm of startup funding. Disruptive people tend to often be both spectacularly right and spectacularly wrong -- PG no exception -- and I think that traits make a person more polarizing.
I don't think it's necessarily a knee-jerk to dislike a company because you disagree with it's chief ideologist. Look at Apple and Steve Jobs -- it seems to me that everything about the guy permeates every nook of the company. If you don't like him, you're probably not going to love Apple products.