Garry Tan on Engineering

Growing up the child of immigrants, sometimes food insecure, the child of an alcoholic, this was me I paid $8 for the 10 real SATs and did 5 tests back to back. Standardized tests. Advanced math. I learned to code. A massive equalizer. Now the path is murky, and getting darker

2.9K likes71 repliesPosted May 15, 2021

Remix this post

Your note

Private to you, and used when you remix this post.

Viral score

Based on absolute engagement — the platform doesn’t expose follower counts here, so large accounts score higher.

From likes, comments.

Why it worked

Uses concrete numbers instead of vague claims, which makes it credible and quotable.
Follows a clear Hook → Context → Landing shape, so the reader always knows where they are.
Ends on a short line that is easy to quote and repeat.
Written from experience rather than as advice, which is harder to argue with.
Short enough to read in full without expanding, which removes a step before the point lands.
Short sentences keep the pace up, so the reader never has to re-read a line.

The mechanics

Hook: Plain observation
Structure: Hook → Context → Landing
Style: Conversational paragraphs at a steady pace.
Tone: personal, punchy
Mechanisms: Specificity
Written for: Engineers and technical teams

Analysis by ViralLoop — not written by the original author.

Topics

Post by Garry Tan on X