The mythology of Silicon Valley success holds that those who “make it” do so due to their excellent ideas and ability, because the tech scene is a meritocracy that rewards intelligence and hard work. Paulina Barsook writes: “Philosophical technolibertarianism gives one pause because it colors, deeply and widely and mostly unconsciously, a zillion personal and institutional decisions. The notion that because one is rich one must be smart, however fallacious, is deeply embedded: People can equate piles of money—or the promise of it—with good sense, wisdom, and savoir faire.” This meritocratic notion of wealth through accomplishment was often contrasted with an archaic view of the East Coast as peppered with prep schools and debutante balls. Anu Nigam said, “There’s no past legacy like in the East Coast, or tradition. It’s who you work with, who you know, what have you done.” Sarah Lacy concurred: “When I hear ‘social status’ I think of like a very East Coast notion of it. I just think it’s so different here. It’s so wrapped up in achievement.” Dan Nye, describing what made San Francisco unique, said, “On the East Coast you frequently start the conversation with what prep school, what college, where did you spend your summers—there’s less of that out here.”

Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, loc. 661