An Indian-origin CEO’s emotional post about a serious health scare has gone viral –but not for the reasons one might expect. While the message urged professionals to prioritise their wellbeing over the pressures of hustle culture, it was a photo accompanying the post that drew widespread criticism online.
Harsh Macwann, an IIM graduate based in New York, shared on LinkedIn that he “came dangerously close to something” he never imagined. Describing the experience, Macwann wrote, “It started with a sharp, crushing pressure in my chest. My left arm went numb. I was breathless, sweating, and disoriented. Within minutes, I was rushed to the hospital. What followed were 5 days of ECGs, cardiac enzymes, 2 days of oxygen lines, and constant monitoring.”
Using the experience to share a broader message, he warned young entrepreneurs not to ignore the signs of burnout. “Your heart isn’t a machine. No startup, no client, no ambition is worth your life,” he wrote, urging professionals to rest when needed and “listen to their body.”
However, a hospital selfie posted alongside the message sparked backlash after a Reddit user shared it on the popular subreddit LinkedIn Lunatics. The user sarcastically captioned it: “‘Take a pic, I’m going to post about this to help other founders’ – Heart Attack LinkedIn Survivor.”
Calling the post one of the “craziest” they’d seen, the Reddit user added, “People need to save themselves from themselves. DELETE THE APP!”
While many sympathised with Macwann’s message, others questioned whether moments of personal health crisis should be turned into online content—especially with photos taken from a hospital bed.
How did Reddit react?
An individual wrote, “I want to see the camera roll of the phone that took this picture one hour before and one hour after it was taken.” Another added, “Does this angle make me look like I could be dead?”
A third expressed, “I Can’t wait to have a heart attack to post it on Linkedin! It’s so exciting!” A fourth said, “What is the B2B lesson here?”