Hacker News Reader

Its because Jack Ma still sees his company as it was in the startup days where the objective was out-competing anybody (even Western tech companies) through creativity, brutal price-cutting and sheer mental and time overload. These are qualities he attributes to people in their youth who can burn the midnight oil for their dream. It is also built on top of East Asian exploitative/"hard-work brings success" work culture.

In China, some employers (who probably still living in 17 century) sees giving out offer and salary is some kind of blessing.

So apparently Jack Ma sees his company as some holy saint who give those poor farmland programmers food, water and life.

It is a blessing to Ma only.

I'm also guessing he means if you are older .... probably can't work for him.