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Comment by CPLX | Hacker News Reader

"I was confused by the sheer amount of narcissistic Ayn Rand followers. What's the point of innovation if you're not building a better society?"

Indeed.

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I don't understand this meme. If this were true, SV would not be deep blue.

I don't live in SV, but I'm an admirer of Rand and her ideas. "Narcissist" is the probably the last word someone would use to describe me.

I don't see it necessarily as a paradox, the fact that the majority of SV is progressive doesn't mean there cannot be a sizable and vocal minority having opposite positions.

I agree with you that it's not necessarily a good description of an average rank and file valley engineer, but there is obviously a large and visible founder/investor class that has some dubious libertarian-ish views and is very, very impressed with itself. It's odd that this point is anything but obvious.

For people who live as far West as you can be (politically), bordering the Pacific Ocean, who believe themselves to be at the forefront of a Science Fiction-esque reality that molds the world, this very-impressed ideology makes psychological sense.

Serenity, wealth, agency, and a pioneering spirit. These speak to vitality and placement. Sexual `fitness'... Winners... the psychology writes itself. It will likely be consistent as long as the four factors I've mentioned hold.

It's worth pointing out that "deep blue" in the US is very much to right by European standards.

One of the dumbest statements from a very dumb, condescending post. SF is uber progressive. "Ayn Rand followers" are few and far between and, even then, very much in the closet.

Where in the US do you think there is a greater density of "Ayn Rand followers"?

Nevada? Quite libertarian-voting in recent elections.

At the very least, I would look at states that elect self professed followers to Congress.

I'm not sure about the density, but you'll definitively find some appreciators and libertarians in New Hampshire - considering the Free State Project.

Admittedly the parent post didn't add much to the discussion, but:

    > One of the dumbest statements from a very dumb, condescending post.

I'm sorry, but I only got this impression once I got all the way down to your comment after reading the blog post.

    > SF is uber progressive.

Is it really? Well, since "progressive" has seen some really weird changes in meaning in the US over time to one I cannot really recognize any more maybe you are right - using the current strange definition. If there is any at all, and the "left/right identifying words" are just thrown around unthinkingly.

Check his post history, it's a long stream of rants against "the left" and the Clintons and so on.

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