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Exactly. This argument that cheaper workforce is out in the sticks, waiting for “remote work” is a lie corporate America has told to keep people in the office.

Exactly. This argument that cheaper workforce is out in the sticks, waiting for “remote work” is a lie corporate America has told to keep people in the office. The truth is, no matter where you are, talent knows what talent is worth. We price accordingly and in the end the market is stable at a certain price level. We’ve been seeing this over the last decade in major US cities competing for SF-level talent. Tech is one of the highest paid professions. Remote or otherwise. To say companies will just go hire someone cheaper assumes they can find someone cheaper. In the end I think the real winners are rural America (or Europe or where ever you live). Having a lifeblood of capital come back to small towns and the like will decentralize our cities, improve our quality of life, reinforce the need for infrastructure, and allow innovation to solve those problems. Exciting times.

ericmay 6y ago
Thanks, Gabe. And I don't think it's SV -> Rural America exclusively. Many of these jobs will filter back into medium to large sized metros across the country. Places like Columbus, Indianapolis, St Louis, Atlanta, Nashville, etc. . There are scores of talented developers in these areas that would be open to remote work, but not relocation to the major metro areas.
- throwaway201103 6y ago
  Not to mention eastern Europe, South America, Asia, etc.
- babesh 6y ago
  Is this what is actually happening? We should look at the statistics as to where people move to. From what I can tell, people are actually mostly moving to other tech hubs (but lower priced) and to high end vacation areas. Think Austin, Denver, Park City Utah, Lake Tahoe, etc... The underlying dynamics are still at play (even tech but to a lesser extent).
  - ericmay 6y ago
    Oh no doubt these areas will see an uptick in jobs... but they won’t be the only ones.
jelliclesfarm 6y ago
200 acre tech village clusters in the mid west that are modern and sustainable islands. They can bring in capital and still not step on the toes of rural America if they don’t want to change the fabric of their society. It makes me uncomfortable to think tech population from Ca descending onto unsuspecting laid back mid western towns. Integration should be gentle and respectful and with consent.
- callinOutLiars 6y ago
  With consent? Shouldn’t everyone have the right to move where they want? Others it sounds like segregation.
  - jelliclesfarm 6y ago
    integration of silicon valley values with mid western values.
throwaway201103 6y ago
"talent knows what talent is worth" This is a pipe dream and quite conceited. Talent is worth what the market will pay for it. No escaping supply and demand. If you no longer need to be in the office, the labor pool is immensely expanded. Unless you think that all the smart people in the world were already working for SF employers.
odessacubbage 6y ago
my fear is that an influx of zoom professionals to places in the desirable parts of 'flyover country' will cause us to repeat the mistakes of sf and seattle in hundreds of times over across the country. most people here were still barely hanging from the recession and now the combination of rapid expansion and quickly rising prices on top of shutdowns is not giving lifeblood to the people who need it, they're being pushed out and the californians are moving in along with big box stores and sodosopa >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoUtoqeEw8U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoUtoqeEw8U you can excuse the resentment
- gabereiser 6y ago
  Yup, you’re right, we have an existential crisis brewing in rural America with remote work and the influx of residents driving cost of housing up when residents who were there already are still struggling from the recession of 2008. I don’t have a comment or solution to this problem (is it even a problem?) otherwise I’d suggest something. I’m just observing like others, but I will admit to browsing Zillow for a farm if remote work has staying power. I think being able to provide some stimulus economically from this will help those smaller rural businesses. I don’t know. I’m not qualified in economics to predict the outcome, only some hope and some fear of possibilities.

ericmay 6y ago

Thanks, Gabe. And I don't think it's SV -> Rural America exclusively. Many of these jobs will filter back into medium to large sized metros across the country. Places like Columbus, Indianapolis, St Louis, Atlanta, Nashville, etc. . There are scores of talented developers in these areas that would be open to remote work, but not relocation to the major metro areas.

throwaway201103 6y ago
Not to mention eastern Europe, South America, Asia, etc.
babesh 6y ago
Is this what is actually happening? We should look at the statistics as to where people move to. From what I can tell, people are actually mostly moving to other tech hubs (but lower priced) and to high end vacation areas. Think Austin, Denver, Park City Utah, Lake Tahoe, etc... The underlying dynamics are still at play (even tech but to a lesser extent).
- ericmay 6y ago
  Oh no doubt these areas will see an uptick in jobs... but they won’t be the only ones.

jelliclesfarm 6y ago

200 acre tech village clusters in the mid west that are modern and sustainable islands. They can bring in capital and still not step on the toes of rural America if they don’t want to change the fabric of their society. It makes me uncomfortable to think tech population from Ca descending onto unsuspecting laid back mid western towns. Integration should be gentle and respectful and with consent.

callinOutLiars 6y ago
With consent? Shouldn’t everyone have the right to move where they want? Others it sounds like segregation.
- jelliclesfarm 6y ago
  integration of silicon valley values with mid western values.

throwaway201103 6y ago

"talent knows what talent is worth" This is a pipe dream and quite conceited. Talent is worth what the market will pay for it. No escaping supply and demand. If you no longer need to be in the office, the labor pool is immensely expanded. Unless you think that all the smart people in the world were already working for SF employers.

odessacubbage 6y ago

my fear is that an influx of zoom professionals to places in the desirable parts of 'flyover country' will cause us to repeat the mistakes of sf and seattle in hundreds of times over across the country. most people here were still barely hanging from the recession and now the combination of rapid expansion and quickly rising prices on top of shutdowns is not giving lifeblood to the people who need it, they're being pushed out and the californians are moving in along with big box stores and sodosopa >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoUtoqeEw8U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoUtoqeEw8U you can excuse the resentment

gabereiser 6y ago
Yup, you’re right, we have an existential crisis brewing in rural America with remote work and the influx of residents driving cost of housing up when residents who were there already are still struggling from the recession of 2008. I don’t have a comment or solution to this problem (is it even a problem?) otherwise I’d suggest something. I’m just observing like others, but I will admit to browsing Zillow for a farm if remote work has staying power. I think being able to provide some stimulus economically from this will help those smaller rural businesses. I don’t know. I’m not qualified in economics to predict the outcome, only some hope and some fear of possibilities.