3 ms·

One huge fallacy in the article: "Instead, we’d posit that many of the “winners” in Silicon Valley are part of a faux meritocracy — being born into the right ci

One huge fallacy in the article: "Instead, we’d posit that many of the “winners” in Silicon Valley are part of a faux meritocracy — being born into the right city or social network." Vast majority of those who work in SV were not born there or started in some social network. They moved there because they were highly skilled, and then they entered the social network.

ocdtrekkie 11y ago
In order to develop those skills, most of them had to be at least born to families that weren't poor. The number of true 'rags to riches' stories is small.
- jpadkins 11y ago
  relative to US middle class? Sorry I have too many friends from Asia and Eastern Europe who were born into a much lower standard of living than US middle class who are now successful in SV. I was raised by a single working mother, and went to a state university. Not rags to riches, but definitely not a life of privilege. Meritocracy in SV isn't perfect, especially when you consider the supply feeding into it. But it's the best example of meritocracy the human race has.
  - ocdtrekkie 11y ago
    Meritocracy in SV is a myth. Some of the highest paid executives in SV are some of the most intellectually handicapped people I've ever encountered. Irresponsibility, blowing more money than I've ever even seen in my life on frivolous pursuits. Petty squabbles throwing years of progress down the drain. Sundar Pichai, now the highest paid CEO in the US, set Android platform development back two or three years due to his own vanity. I'm sad at how much could be accomplished with the waste created by SV incompetence. It's incredible how little merit people have considering the amount of money they're paid. I feel like the compulsive gambler is the best analog to Silicon Valley: Blowing every last penny you have, over and over, on the belief that you'll someday strike it rich.
    - DrScump 11y ago
      <I feel like the compulsive gambler is the best analog to Silicon Valley> There are several infamous SV examples of literally gambling, such as the former Fry's executive who embezzled $65M to feed his gambling habit: http://www.dailytech.com/Frys+VP+Arrested+for+Embezzling+over+65M/article13782.htm http://www.dailytech.com/Frys+VP+Arrested+for+Embezzling+ove... (How do you release a guy on a $300K bond when he's already stolen $65M that you know of? That's a heck of a bargain for him!)

ocdtrekkie 11y ago

In order to develop those skills, most of them had to be at least born to families that weren't poor. The number of true 'rags to riches' stories is small.

jpadkins 11y ago
relative to US middle class? Sorry I have too many friends from Asia and Eastern Europe who were born into a much lower standard of living than US middle class who are now successful in SV. I was raised by a single working mother, and went to a state university. Not rags to riches, but definitely not a life of privilege. Meritocracy in SV isn't perfect, especially when you consider the supply feeding into it. But it's the best example of meritocracy the human race has.
- ocdtrekkie 11y ago
  Meritocracy in SV is a myth. Some of the highest paid executives in SV are some of the most intellectually handicapped people I've ever encountered. Irresponsibility, blowing more money than I've ever even seen in my life on frivolous pursuits. Petty squabbles throwing years of progress down the drain. Sundar Pichai, now the highest paid CEO in the US, set Android platform development back two or three years due to his own vanity. I'm sad at how much could be accomplished with the waste created by SV incompetence. It's incredible how little merit people have considering the amount of money they're paid. I feel like the compulsive gambler is the best analog to Silicon Valley: Blowing every last penny you have, over and over, on the belief that you'll someday strike it rich.
  - DrScump 11y ago
    <I feel like the compulsive gambler is the best analog to Silicon Valley> There are several infamous SV examples of literally gambling, such as the former Fry's executive who embezzled $65M to feed his gambling habit: http://www.dailytech.com/Frys+VP+Arrested+for+Embezzling+over+65M/article13782.htm http://www.dailytech.com/Frys+VP+Arrested+for+Embezzling+ove... (How do you release a guy on a $300K bond when he's already stolen $65M that you know of? That's a heck of a bargain for him!)