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I have some insight into this. My schooling was in eastern-ish europe growing up in a low middle class environment. My girlfriend grew up in SFBA and went to h

by Swizec 6y ago

I have some insight into this. My schooling was in eastern-ish europe growing up in a low middle class environment. My girlfriend grew up in SFBA and went to high school in Palo Alto. The difference in perspective is astounding. Even simple things like what you consider normal. Like, I grew up knowing that The Boss is someone you hate and despise who makes your life miserable. Becoming the boss is villified. Rich people are bad. Everyone is out to screw you. That includes rich people, poor people, the government, the police. Everyone. It’s you against the world. The forgotten class everyone exploits and nobody helps. High taxes, no help. Oh and teachers are all dumb. Otherwise they wouldn’t be teachers. By comparison the normal for my girlfriend is “You invent google street view or cofound the next ebay, obviously. That’s just basics”. At the least you do well in school, get great grades, and climb a corporate hiwrarchy to near top. That’s the failure mode if nothing else works. Learning the US corporate/business culture has been imo my biggest challenge moving here.

commandlinefan 6y ago
While attending a poor school and growing up in a poor environment gives you a completely different life perspective than growing up in a rich one, it's worth noting that this isn't what people mean when they talk about "diversity".
- TameAntelope 6y ago
  It's what I mean. It's not only what I mean, but that diversity of viewpoint is incredibly valuable when trying to solve problems as a group.
- Swizec 6y ago
  I know it isn’t and that makes it even harder to talk about. Classism is understood and recognized in Europe and people are working on it. USA is still stuck pretending it doesn’t exist. Similar to how 50 years ago it was pretendint sexism isn’t a problem. Imo it’s important to talk about all types of systemic issues, not just the popular ones. And to quote one of my well meaning friends: ”Oh pfft your issues don’t count because you can pass (look white and male)”
saagarjha 6y ago
I grew up in the Bay Area and went to school in Cupertino; the number of people who are of the perspective you described your girlfriend having are in the minority even here. There are a handful of schools across Palo Alto and San Francisco that enable that kind of thing.
- bradlys 6y ago
  Minority of the overall population in SV that went to schools here? Yeah, probably. Minority of the people who end up in tech in SV and grew up here? No. I've met too many people in SV that are in tech and who grew up here to come to that conclusion.
  - saagarjha 6y ago
    I am in tech, as you might guess ;) I know the type of people mentioned in the parent comment, they go to a handful of schools I could name specifically, and the reason they are that way is that they are either the children of multi-millionaires of billionaires, or are friends with someone who falls into that category, or at the very least go to the school and benefit from the parent donations and atmosphere. That isn't to say that there isn't a drive to do well at other schools in the valley, but it's nothing like "I'm going to start the next big thing", it's more like "I'll make good money at FAANG someday" for most people.
    - Swizec 6y ago
      For the record: My gf’s parents went out of their way to ensure she went to that specific school. I’m told it pretty much broke them financially to have the correct zip code.
      - est31 6y ago
        Indeed it's common for parents to go to great lengths to put their children into the right school. It's a bit sad that there are so high differences between quality of schooling in the US. Having the right/wrong friends can change entire lives, as can the teaching. That being said, telling kids they either start the next facebook or they are losers and have to take a loser FANG job is a bit bit overdone though... But I guess it all depends on perspective. If you are already in the upper class, you want your children to get upper class jobs and upper class success as well.

by Swizec 6y ago

commandlinefan 6y ago

While attending a poor school and growing up in a poor environment gives you a completely different life perspective than growing up in a rich one, it's worth noting that this isn't what people mean when they talk about "diversity".

TameAntelope 6y ago
It's what I mean. It's not only what I mean, but that diversity of viewpoint is incredibly valuable when trying to solve problems as a group.
Swizec 6y ago
I know it isn’t and that makes it even harder to talk about. Classism is understood and recognized in Europe and people are working on it. USA is still stuck pretending it doesn’t exist. Similar to how 50 years ago it was pretendint sexism isn’t a problem. Imo it’s important to talk about all types of systemic issues, not just the popular ones. And to quote one of my well meaning friends: ”Oh pfft your issues don’t count because you can pass (look white and male)”

saagarjha 6y ago

I grew up in the Bay Area and went to school in Cupertino; the number of people who are of the perspective you described your girlfriend having are in the minority even here. There are a handful of schools across Palo Alto and San Francisco that enable that kind of thing.

bradlys 6y ago
Minority of the overall population in SV that went to schools here? Yeah, probably. Minority of the people who end up in tech in SV and grew up here? No. I've met too many people in SV that are in tech and who grew up here to come to that conclusion.
- saagarjha 6y ago
  I am in tech, as you might guess ;) I know the type of people mentioned in the parent comment, they go to a handful of schools I could name specifically, and the reason they are that way is that they are either the children of multi-millionaires of billionaires, or are friends with someone who falls into that category, or at the very least go to the school and benefit from the parent donations and atmosphere. That isn't to say that there isn't a drive to do well at other schools in the valley, but it's nothing like "I'm going to start the next big thing", it's more like "I'll make good money at FAANG someday" for most people.
  - Swizec 6y ago
    For the record: My gf’s parents went out of their way to ensure she went to that specific school. I’m told it pretty much broke them financially to have the correct zip code.
    - est31 6y ago
      Indeed it's common for parents to go to great lengths to put their children into the right school. It's a bit sad that there are so high differences between quality of schooling in the US. Having the right/wrong friends can change entire lives, as can the teaching. That being said, telling kids they either start the next facebook or they are losers and have to take a loser FANG job is a bit bit overdone though... But I guess it all depends on perspective. If you are already in the upper class, you want your children to get upper class jobs and upper class success as well.