5 ms·

See, that's what I like about Silicon Valley. There are a lot of crazy conservative folk here, a bunch of the people I hung around as a younger person were rig

by lsc 8y ago

See, that's what I like about Silicon Valley. There are a lot of crazy conservative folk here, a bunch of the people I hung around as a younger person were right-libertarian almost to the point of being anarcho-capitalist, and I still know a fair number of those types, though they aren't as common once you start working for big companies rather than startups... but they got along just fine with the socialists in the same office. And they both were okay with the immigrants who, I imagine, came away with the idea that Americans, while a little nutso if you talk about politics, are generally decent people. But that's the thing, and what made silicon valley so much more attractive than my (rural california) hometown... nobody tries to run anyone off the road. Sure, sure, we disagree and puff and stuff, but people leave their guns at home, and the taboo against vehicular manslaughter is maintained, even if the victim is on a bicycle. We socialize in groups that cross ethnic and political boundaries. But then, I'm one of those people for whom Texas is not a substitutable place for Silicon Valley. (New York might be. Texas is not.) I'm completely aware that there are people who prefer Texas in the same way I prefer Silicon Valley. (I'm also aware that I haven't spent a lot of time in Texas, and I'm mostly comparing rural California to Silicon Valley... but rural California has a lot of the problems Texas is perceived to have, re: big trucks aggressively running bicycles off the road and other acts of everyday terror )

hueving 8y ago
I suggest you look at the recent election results so see how "diverse" the bay is politically.
- komali2 8y ago
  Not everyone votes. In any case, the bay area being a liberal hub isn't exactly a strike against it, considering most cities are liberal hubs, and the existence of conservative hubs means that one can't necessarily judge a place for having a cultural zeitgeist.
  - hueving 8y ago
    The bay area doesn't compare to "most cities" though. There is little tolerance for anyone who seriously expresses support for non-dem candidates. https://www.citylab.com/equity/2016/12/mapping-how-americas-metro-areas-voted/508313/ https://www.citylab.com/equity/2016/12/mapping-how-americas-...
    - komali2 8y ago
      Wait, what was the point of linking that article? I read it but it just furthered my point - a ton of metro areas lean liberal. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "little tolerance," are you saying people are being run over by cars for being conservatives? Are houses being spray painted? Are wedding cakes not being baked for Republican couples?
      - hueving 8y ago
        >Wait, what was the point of linking that article? The bay area is the most liberal area. Comparing to other cities that happened to have liberal majorities is pointless. It's like calling a community with 3% minorities just as diverse as a community with 45% minorities. >are you saying people are being run over by cars If you think it requires violence to be intolerant, you need to expand your views. >Are houses being spray painted? Cars with Trump stickers vandalized, yes. >Are wedding cakes not being baked for Republican couples? I'm not sure. It would be a little hard to tell since political parties rarely show up on the cake request forms.
        lsc 8y ago
        This is a very old debate (I mean, the 'If we are intolerant of intolerance, is does that make us intolerant ourselves?' thing) - and I'm not saying I have the answers, (and my perception is that at least before Trump, Republicans were totally acceptable) but it's really not very relevant to my point. My point is just that Texas and California are not exactly substitutable goods, as it were. just like how there are people who would be much happier in Texas than California for non-monitary reasons, there are people who would be much happier in California than in Texas for non-monetary reasons. My argument is just that saying that lining up Texas with California as competitors for talent is... probably not as correct as, say, lining up California and NYC.

by lsc 8y ago

hueving 8y ago

I suggest you look at the recent election results so see how "diverse" the bay is politically.

komali2 8y ago
Not everyone votes. In any case, the bay area being a liberal hub isn't exactly a strike against it, considering most cities are liberal hubs, and the existence of conservative hubs means that one can't necessarily judge a place for having a cultural zeitgeist.
- hueving 8y ago
  The bay area doesn't compare to "most cities" though. There is little tolerance for anyone who seriously expresses support for non-dem candidates. https://www.citylab.com/equity/2016/12/mapping-how-americas-metro-areas-voted/508313/ https://www.citylab.com/equity/2016/12/mapping-how-americas-...
  - komali2 8y ago
    Wait, what was the point of linking that article? I read it but it just furthered my point - a ton of metro areas lean liberal. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "little tolerance," are you saying people are being run over by cars for being conservatives? Are houses being spray painted? Are wedding cakes not being baked for Republican couples?
    - hueving 8y ago
      >Wait, what was the point of linking that article? The bay area is the most liberal area. Comparing to other cities that happened to have liberal majorities is pointless. It's like calling a community with 3% minorities just as diverse as a community with 45% minorities. >are you saying people are being run over by cars If you think it requires violence to be intolerant, you need to expand your views. >Are houses being spray painted? Cars with Trump stickers vandalized, yes. >Are wedding cakes not being baked for Republican couples? I'm not sure. It would be a little hard to tell since political parties rarely show up on the cake request forms.
      - lsc 8y ago
        This is a very old debate (I mean, the 'If we are intolerant of intolerance, is does that make us intolerant ourselves?' thing) - and I'm not saying I have the answers, (and my perception is that at least before Trump, Republicans were totally acceptable) but it's really not very relevant to my point. My point is just that Texas and California are not exactly substitutable goods, as it were. just like how there are people who would be much happier in Texas than California for non-monitary reasons, there are people who would be much happier in California than in Texas for non-monetary reasons. My argument is just that saying that lining up Texas with California as competitors for talent is... probably not as correct as, say, lining up California and NYC.