This morning a big story broke in the tech community. Michael Arrington, founder of the tech news giant TechCrunch, posted an article titled, “Some Things Need to Change.” In this article, Arrington laments the stress level of his job and his plan to take time off. He speaks of the verbal abuse he has to deal with on a daily basis. The last straw for Arrington? This week at a German tech conference someone spat in his face. So, why all the hate towards the man Time listed as one of the 100 most influential people on the planet?
Arrington says what he wants when he wants. Why can he do this? Because he has no allies. He is feared because he is the gatekeeper. Millions of readers hang on his every endorsement. Upset him, and he can poison your business with a single article. Make him happy, and he can literally send your startup 100,000 users overnight. The success of TechCrunch is based on readership, not friendship. Millions of TechCrunch readers adopt his opinions regarding tech startups. That kind of influence is powerful when multimillion dollar acquisitions can hinge on a TechCrunch endorsement (or condemnation).
I saw this coming from a mile away. First read this quote, posted today on TechCrunch by Arrington.
“I can’t say my job is much fun any more. Startups that don’t get the coverage they want and competing journalists and bloggers tend to accuse us of the most ridiculous things. It hasn’t been worth our time to respond to these accusations; I always assumed that our work and integrity would speak for itself.”
First of all, I knew Michael Arrington wasn’t having fun anymore. You can just feel that vibe coming from the man. And what’s this about, “It hasn’t been worth our time to respond to these accusations”? I personally remember once such response, because it drew my attention to exactly why some people don’t care for Michael Arrington.
LeWeb 2008
First, Loic Le Meur, host of LeWeb 2008 in Paris, posted a blog asking the question, “Should Michael Arrington Be Invited Back At LeWeb Next Year?” Then came Arrington’s response, “Joie De Vivre: The Europeans Are Out To Lunch” And so began the feud.
I looked into it further and discover why Loic was upset with Arrington after LeWeb. It turns out Arrington was disrespectful on stage, called Loic a liar, and was generally negative towards not only the European tech scene, but also European culture. Notably, he went on a rant, in front of everyone, about how they spend too much time eating lunch and not enough time working. When Loic suggested American entrepreneurs are too robotic and don’t enjoy the finer things in life, Arrington replied with this sarcastic remark, mocking the European culture.
“Is it the two-hour lunches, the constant pleasantries, and all the wine drinking? Is that the reason Google, Yahoo, and eBay are all American companies? Any why Skype was sold to an American company? And why Europe constantly looks to the United States for leadership and technology? Look how many American speakers Loic brought to this conference to talk on this stage.”
While making a valid point, in my opinion this was not a wise way to support the tech scene in Europe. I’d go so far as to say it was counter-productive to the mission of LeWeb itself – to build the tech community and bridge gaps between unique tech scenes world-wide.
When Loic suggested that enjoying time with friends might be a joy in life that Silicon Valley might be missing, Arrington interrupted with, “You’d be surprised how much joy you get out of winning.”
Anyone who watched the video (below) can clearly see Arrington appears anything but joyful. Now in today’s TechCrunch post Arrington seems to be eating his words.
“I’ve decided the right thing to do is take some time off and get a better perspective on what I’m spending my life doing. I’ll be taking most of February off from writing, and decide what the best future for me is while sitting on a beach somewhere far away from my iPhone and laptop.”
Sounds like Arrington might be seeing things with Loic’s perspective now. I wonder if Loic is thinking, “You were out of balance. That’s what I was trying to warn you about all along, friend.” Maybe Loic and Arrington should sit down for a two-hour lunch, drink fine wine, and talk about the important things in life.
Be Aware
Let’s hear your comments. What do you think of Michael Arrington? What about the European tech scene versus the American tech scene? How important is work-life balance? What works for you?
A post like this is not meant as a call to action. It is a call to awareness. Post your comments below and then go treat yourself to a two-hour lunch and a glass of wine with a friend. (Just don’t tell your boss it was my idea!)
The LeWeb Video
It gets heated around the 14′ mark.
