I do think the gladiator metaphor is helpful, but I have to add in that software developers/technical people tend to hold a lot of cards in the modern economy. For example, you can work on a startup, take 2 weeks off on a freelance project, and pay your bills for the next 3 months. Not to mention the startup itself will sharpen your skillset raising your value to future employers.
I think if anyone is getting screwed, it's the inexperienced "business co-founders," who don't have a high hourly rate to fall back on and fall hard for the emotional myth. They still have the resume item of "Founder" that appeals to future employers looking for initiative, but their unfocused skill-set might hurt them.
However, it's interesting that it's self-imposed harm for inexperienced business types, because I imagine that no one is actively exploiting them. Why would they?
aridiculous, you're right that devs/tech people hold a lot of cards in the modern economy… they can do all you said and more. But they almost never do. Holding the cards is worthless when you don't know you're playing a game, much less that you have a winning hand already.
That's why most "startup guys and girls" work and scrimp and suffer and sleep under their desks for a minority share in nothing, while VCs (the business types) laugh all the way to the bank.
Because taking outside capital is like forking over your hand of cards AND promising to only play tiddlywinks in the future.
Whoever holds the money, holds the power. Unless the other party wakes up to realize that they don't need the money.
The fact is that for the past decade (and getting better all the time), it costs virtually nothing to start a profitable web-based business. Almost no one truly needs the money men at all. Tech types still think they do, though. They want the security & validation & ease of being handed a great big whack of cash. Which means they end up the person without power.
The amazing thing about developers, designers, teachers & writers is that we not only own the means of production, we carry them with us IN OUR HEADS. We walk around thinking we need to appease the factory owners so we can get to work, but we don't.
I think if anyone is getting screwed, it's the inexperienced "business co-founders," who don't have a high hourly rate to fall back on and fall hard for the emotional myth. They still have the resume item of "Founder" that appeals to future employers looking for initiative, but their unfocused skill-set might hurt them.
However, it's interesting that it's self-imposed harm for inexperienced business types, because I imagine that no one is actively exploiting them. Why would they?