My theory about PG is that he got sick of being the political animal that YC currently requires. Compare and contrast PG and Altman.
Graham wrote a "Request for Startups" that expressed an honest and tradeable opinion: "these 6 categories are likely to make me money, I want to fund them." Now compare to Sam Altman's RFS: "here are all the possible categories, don't be mad at me for forgetting yours, plus a few feel-good platitudes that will make the media like me."
YC probably needs a schmoozer/politician more than an intellectual right now. But that doesn't mean PG wants to be that person.
Graham wrote a "Request for Startups" that expressed an honest and tradeable opinion: "these 6 categories are likely to make me money, I want to fund them." Now compare to Sam Altman's RFS: "here are all the possible categories, don't be mad at me for forgetting yours, plus a few feel-good platitudes that will make the media like me."
YC probably needs a schmoozer/politician more than an intellectual right now. But that doesn't mean PG wants to be that person.