Comment by dinfinity

> Having billions of dollars and being the head of a world-changing company doesn't buy the type of power you think it does.

1. The product itself can change the world quickly and enormously, as I already pointed out.

2. The power of these huge companies and thus of their owners is immense. The effects of massive corruption in the USA are proof of that. Additionally, massive manipulation of algorithms and content in things like Tiktok, Twitter, Grok/ChatGPT, etc. can be and is done regularly, whether with 'good' intentions or not. Even just the basic control of what R&D money and time is spent on is huge.

> The HNer working on a startup, in the final analysis, will in 50 years' time have left about as big a mark on the planet as a greeter at Walmart.

With a defeatist attitude like "sit back and grab some popcorn", yes. You haven't shown in the least why an HNer couldn't change the course of history.