Do you think the mean outcome for this /(gambling|investing)/ behavior over time for all people is a net positive or a net negative one? If we looked at all of the startup ecosystem employees in all of the startups over the years, would you say they have earned more or less, on average, than if they had stuck to enterprise industry?
Granted, that the outcomes have a much higher standard deviation in startups is probably a no-brainer. But if the mean is less, then it's by-definition gambling.
I guess the question centers on, do the winners outweigh the losers. In Las Vegas, they do not. That's why they advertise the winners so much, to make it look like winning happens all the time. They don't advertise the churn. Given how much SV "advertises" its big exits, to me it feels more like Las Vegas than a career.
You might be closer to my point that you imagine, I just wanted to say that his role was not only that of a risk taker, but also that of a valuable employee.
