I think we all understand why VCs telling people to get their money out caused or accelerated the collapse. But what was any individual VC supposed to do, tell their startups to just go down with the ship?
It's the same dynamic as the toilet paper shortages at the beginning of covid: most people weren't panic buying because they thought that there wouldn't be enough toilet paper to go around if everyone kept cool, they were panic buying because they knew not enough other people were keeping cool.
If it looks like the only reward you'll get for keeping your cool is a few weeks with a dirty bottom, it's hard to avoid joining in the run.
It's the same dynamic as the toilet paper shortages at the beginning of covid: most people weren't panic buying because they thought that there wouldn't be enough toilet paper to go around if everyone kept cool, they were panic buying because they knew not enough other people were keeping cool.
If it looks like the only reward you'll get for keeping your cool is a few weeks with a dirty bottom, it's hard to avoid joining in the run.