I'm not a huge fan of hyperbole. Care to back this up? I don't think news.yc is obsessed with ripping people off... what part of 'make something people want' contradicts creating value?
That being said, I agree that there are plenty of motives for hoping for an early exit other than "pure greed."
Crack? Junk food? Time-wasting websites? People rarely act even in their own best interests.
>Crack? Junk food? Time-wasting websites? People rarely act even in their own best interests.
Who said anything about acting in their own "best interests"? (and who decides these?)
Make what people want, not what you think they ought to want. Value, like beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder