This uneasy prioritization of work and social change played out in the tech community’s definition of status symbols. The San Francisco technology scene adhered to an ethos of visible consumption focused on “functional” goods, experiences, and travel. Certain expenses were deemed acceptable if they could be linked to pursuits with a larger purpose, but anything that couldn’t be linked to either work or self-improvement was frowned on. For instance, it was totally acceptable to carry a Chrome messenger bag filled with the latest gadgets and ride a fancy bike, but spending on clothes or luxury brand names for everyday goods was terribly gauche. (Apple products were an exception, since electronics were considered necessary work tools.) The most popular sports in the tech scene–rock climbing, biking, and yoga–can be practiced cheaply, but usually are not. It is important to note that this is not an ethic of anti-consumption. Tech people had no problem spending large, even exorbitant, sums of money on personal possessions or travel as long as they could be framed as part of their work life.

Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, loc. 188