Ask HN: Why is raising money from VCs worn as a badge of honour?

It's like a loan because the founders don't have the money or the revenue to afford what they are trying to do. Eventually it has to be paid.

Somehow when folks take a large loan and buy a house which they can't really afford, usually they don't shout about it on social media forums.

But somehow when it comes to start-ups it's almost worn as a badge of merit?

Why is that the case and why don't more companies try to raise money later in the cycle and try and make do with their product revenue?