Travel Reading, part 5 - Silicon Valley

Since my Day Job is tied to the Silicon Valley, I figure it's time to read about some of the people there.

The Google Guys, by Richard L. Brandt

I have been a user of Google products since their beginning... and since I am typically a late adopter, I think this speaks volumes about how they revolutionized "search."  For me, they were useful from the beginning.... significantly more so than the other search engines available at the time.

This book is about 10 years old, so it was interesting to be reminded about the origins and initial guiding principles of Google as well as read about forward looking topics 10 years later.

As mentioned in part 3, it's much nicer to read books that are written by professional authors.  The quality of the text is significantly better.  Which makes it much more enjoyable to read.

Without a doubt, Google was a game-changer.  They understood the needs-of and were focused-on the end user, not short-term financial gains.  IMO, this is an important lesson for all companies.

I'd be interested in reading a more contemporary book and to see if the guiding principles are still as strong as they were at the beginning.



The second book for this edition of Travel Reading is Brotopia, by Emily Chang.

It was recommended by one of my colleagues... not only is it a more contemporary book on the Silicon Valley (published 2018) it is an interesting look into the root of sexism in Tech and specifically the Silicon Valley.

First, the idea that people are smarter in the Silicon Valley is ridiculous.  Yes, a lot of them have been financially successful, but that is only because they were luckier, not smarter.  Reinforced by research that shows the zip code of birth is a strong predictor of income (here and here).

Second, Meritocracy is the idea that you hire and promote based on merit only.  On the surface, this sounds great.  But when that is coupled with just hiring the people you know and promoting the ones that go to parties with you, it becomes ridiculous.... the arrogance of assuming you already know "all the best people" is astounding.

Third, as I progressed through this book, the more difficult it became to read.  Even though I, personally, have experienced a lot of what was described during my career, reading about the institutionalized sexism was still sometimes horrifying and often disturbing.

One part that really struck me was when the author was talking about the harassment/trolling she and many others receive for speaking out against the "bro-culture."  She talks about being used to it and that she has skin thick enough to deal with it.  I know that thick skin, because I also have it.  :-(

I appreciate that the author tried to end the book on a positive note.  She talked about Girls Who Code and the excitement these girls have for their future career.  She also talked about a couple of tech companies trying to ensure diversity, equality, and work-life balance.

We are on the precipice of another wave increase of tech workers.  It's important to understand how we got to where we are and we have an opportunity to do better this time.

Of course, this also happened the day I finished reading Brotopia.  We are in a dark time with respect to opportunities and parity.