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Comment by isleyaardvark | Hacker News Reader

The choice of "Star Wars" as an example is pretty ironic. There has been so much discussion about how Star Wars was a result of the work of so many people. And how George Lucas, who would be the candidate for "single person", when left to his own devices made worse quality Star Wars films.

In particular, there was: - Marcia Lucas, credited for "saving Star Wars in the editing" - John Williams

Not to mention all the people working on the special effects, the sound designer Ben Burtt, the list goes on.

The reality is that a "single person" doesn't create things like that. The "visionary/great man" ideal is just good PR.

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> The "visionary/great man" ideal is just good PR.

I reject that proposition. It's how record labels (investors, etc.) gaslight their artists (founders, etc.) into signing bad deals.

The businessman ("anthropomorphized lawnmower"[1]) has excellent PR. What interests him is an ownership stake in your vision and execution.

> “From the beginning of [Dischord Records], people have said that the way we do things is unsustainable, unrealistic, idealistic, and we were just dreaming,” he said. “Well, the dream is now 35 years old, so they can go fuck themselves.”[2]

-- Ian MacKaye (2016)

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10040429 [2] https://www.avclub.com/buttholes-and-lawyers-how-a-lawsuit-t...

Both can be true, depending on the regime of operation.

A credible relationship (such as an individual bringing value) can be (and has been) exploited by individuals who want more money for themselves.

Another credible relationship (that the network is the value) can be exploited by individuals who control the choke points.

Your examples are where individuals control the choke points, introducing artificial controls and preventing the healthy accrual of benefits to the whole structure.

I think you're pointing out that sometimes the jerk with leverage is not a large enterprise.

I can stipulate; this is why running companies is hard.

Adversity exists. I don't think it diminishes my assertion that visionaries do, too.

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