A non-technical newcomer joined Meta (then Facebook) in 2018 after a career in British and European politics. Northern California's geographic distance and time-zone difference from east-coast power centres creates a strong sense of remoteness and dislocation. Silicon Valley attracts idealists and risk-takers seeking to escape established institutions, producing a culture that says yes, prizes creativity, and rewards ambition with the promise of world-changing ideas and great wealth. The same conditions encourage industrial-scale hubris and preserve a largely male-dominated environment where capable women must fight for recognition. Isolation, wealth, and idealism separate the region from ordinary people’s day-to-day struggles.
I'm not a creature of Silicon Valley. I didn't study computer science. I've never written a line of code. I haven't spent my career immersed in the processes, debates and science of technological progress. I came to Meta, Facebook as it then was, in 2018 as an emigre from the world of British and European politics. I wasn't really sure what to expect.
It's a natural home for idealists who want to stick it to the man. There's something intoxicating about Silicon Valley. This is a place where people say yes. It's a magnet for smart people buzzing with creativity. There are no limits to ambition. Every obstacle is an opportunity. Every beautiful day could be the day something amazing happens. Anyone could have an idea that could change the world and get filthy rich.
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