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I spent six months working at a FAANG in the bay area after 20 years of living a rural lifestyle in the midwest. I lived in Mountain View and really tried to s

by jcims 6y ago

I spent six months working at a FAANG in the bay area after 20 years of living a rural lifestyle in the midwest. I lived in Mountain View and really tried to soak in the difference...I didn't even bother to get a vehicle. That proclamation alone will be cringy for some of you, but it's unthinkable where I live now and where I'd lived every day prior. At first I felt that I was seeing an environment that is truly 'the future' of integrated multi-culturalism. I just marveled at the fact that on my walk to the store, maybe half of the conversations I overheard were in English. Authentic food and art and music from all over the planet was so accessible, likewise my team was from all over the planet and it was really cool. Then I realized that I didn't really see any black folks. Anywhere. I mean infosec has a lot of work to do with diversity to be sure, so I wasn't particularly surprised that there was just one black guy on the team. But then I started looking on my way to and from work, at the store, at restaurants, etc. Nada. Then I started getting creeped out, and that one blind spot really started uncovering quite a few more, particularly around the assumptions I was hearing folks make about people that I had direct experience with. This created a Truman Show-esque unraveling and after a while I decided that the juice wasn't worth the squeeze. I got somehow disgusted with the place, quit and moved back home. It's not better here, but at least it's not pretending to be. I'm starting to look at relocating again, but it's not going to be to the west coast. I really hate generalizing and to be clear, there are some amazing folks out there that aren't part of the echo chamber, and the access to a broad cultural base not to mention the weather/natural setting is beyond compare IMHO. But it's just too volatile at the moment and I'm not in a position where it makes sense to basically 'start over' financially for a location that, for the most part, is just overwhelmed with its own pious fantasy.

refurb 6y ago
What I’ve noticed in the Bay Area is a “fetishization” of multi-culturalism; at least amongst the upper-middle class. Lots of “it’s so great our community is diverse”, but then I realized that’s more of “it’s great I can find authentic Mexican food" or "the Chinese New Year Parade is so fun!", but it's pretty apparent by their behavior they are not comfortable with them living in their neighborhood. Or they’re comfortable with an ethic group in their neighborhood as long as they are firmly Westernized and of a similar socioeconomic class. Outside of that there is very little interest in mixing other than as some fun Sunday leisure activity. Like going to the zoo.
- lotsofpulp 6y ago
  It’s the same everywhere in the world. You might notice it more in a place with a wider gap or more socioeconomic classes. It’s inevitable for humans to form tribes along those lines, for a variety of reasons.
  - refurb 6y ago
    Oh I agree. There is something hardwired in the human brain to form alliances with other humans “similar to you” - whatever that means. Not necessarily race, but it could be language, socioeconomic status, geography, family lineage, etc. Take your pick. What annoys me about the Bay Area types I’m talking about is they think they’ve risen above it. They haven’t, they just do it differently.
- yourapostasy 6y ago
  > Or they’re comfortable with an ethic group in their neighborhood as long as they are firmly Westernized and of a similar socioeconomic class. I believe an acclimatization two-way street is a big factor in successful multicultural co-existence. Food seems to be a powerful bonding agent for many people. My neighbor invites me over for Chinese Moon Festival with mooncakes I've never had before, I invite him over to my hunting lease to shoot some doves and fry them up with bacon. Substitute baba ganoush and BBQ, biryani and buffalo wings, pho and Philadelphia cheesesteak, menudo and Marzetti beef-and-pasta casserole, etc., that's why I love American street parties in multicultural neighborhoods, Americans by and large love sharing with each other at these events. Kids, similar parenting styles arising from similar aspirations and similar ideas on how to achieve those aspirations seem to be another powerful bonding agent. But I do draw the line somewhere. Much as I love eating it, you can't convince me anyone of any culture will ever be comfortable with their neighbors making stinky tofu in their backyard. I hear even the Chinese impose requirements upon those making stinky tofu to stay away from residential areas.
- cbozeman 6y ago
  > but it's pretty apparent by their behavior they are not comfortable with them living in their neighborhood. > Or they’re comfortable with an ethic group in their neighborhood as long as they are firmly Westernized and of a similar socioeconomic class. Well this has been a criticism leveled at the Bay Area / "woke" / SJW / whatever-label-you-want-to-use crowd for awhile. Diversity of phenotype and genotype is acceptable. Diversity of viewpoint is not.
howlgarnish 6y ago
There are plenty of black folks in SV, but they're driving the shuttle buses, while the Latinos are in the kitchen at the company cafeteria. And yes, the juxtaposition of this with all the mandatory diversity woo woo was a bit jarring.

by jcims 6y ago

refurb 6y ago

What I’ve noticed in the Bay Area is a “fetishization” of multi-culturalism; at least amongst the upper-middle class. Lots of “it’s so great our community is diverse”, but then I realized that’s more of “it’s great I can find authentic Mexican food" or "the Chinese New Year Parade is so fun!", but it's pretty apparent by their behavior they are not comfortable with them living in their neighborhood. Or they’re comfortable with an ethic group in their neighborhood as long as they are firmly Westernized and of a similar socioeconomic class. Outside of that there is very little interest in mixing other than as some fun Sunday leisure activity. Like going to the zoo.

lotsofpulp 6y ago
It’s the same everywhere in the world. You might notice it more in a place with a wider gap or more socioeconomic classes. It’s inevitable for humans to form tribes along those lines, for a variety of reasons.
- refurb 6y ago
  Oh I agree. There is something hardwired in the human brain to form alliances with other humans “similar to you” - whatever that means. Not necessarily race, but it could be language, socioeconomic status, geography, family lineage, etc. Take your pick. What annoys me about the Bay Area types I’m talking about is they think they’ve risen above it. They haven’t, they just do it differently.
yourapostasy 6y ago
> Or they’re comfortable with an ethic group in their neighborhood as long as they are firmly Westernized and of a similar socioeconomic class. I believe an acclimatization two-way street is a big factor in successful multicultural co-existence. Food seems to be a powerful bonding agent for many people. My neighbor invites me over for Chinese Moon Festival with mooncakes I've never had before, I invite him over to my hunting lease to shoot some doves and fry them up with bacon. Substitute baba ganoush and BBQ, biryani and buffalo wings, pho and Philadelphia cheesesteak, menudo and Marzetti beef-and-pasta casserole, etc., that's why I love American street parties in multicultural neighborhoods, Americans by and large love sharing with each other at these events. Kids, similar parenting styles arising from similar aspirations and similar ideas on how to achieve those aspirations seem to be another powerful bonding agent. But I do draw the line somewhere. Much as I love eating it, you can't convince me anyone of any culture will ever be comfortable with their neighbors making stinky tofu in their backyard. I hear even the Chinese impose requirements upon those making stinky tofu to stay away from residential areas.
cbozeman 6y ago
> but it's pretty apparent by their behavior they are not comfortable with them living in their neighborhood. > Or they’re comfortable with an ethic group in their neighborhood as long as they are firmly Westernized and of a similar socioeconomic class. Well this has been a criticism leveled at the Bay Area / "woke" / SJW / whatever-label-you-want-to-use crowd for awhile. Diversity of phenotype and genotype is acceptable. Diversity of viewpoint is not.

howlgarnish 6y ago

There are plenty of black folks in SV, but they're driving the shuttle buses, while the Latinos are in the kitchen at the company cafeteria. And yes, the juxtaposition of this with all the mandatory diversity woo woo was a bit jarring.