http://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/a/30952
> Why do programmers looking for easy cash from VCs they can blindside with a storm of buzzwords migrate to San Francisco? Its one of the absolute worse places to run a company, but its one of the best for starting a company simply because the community is there.
Makes sense. I always considered myself a tech mercenary.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signalling_(economics)#Job-mar...
In the context of getting a degree: 'Spence discovered that even if education did not contribute anything to an employee's productivity, it could still have value to both the employer and employee. If the appropriate cost/benefit structure exists (or is created), "good" employees will buy more education in order to signal their higher productivity.'
E.g. if communication costs were really zero, then everyone would try to get a job by applying, which lowers the average applicant quality.
But if the cost of applying is high, then only highly committed, self-selected applicants who think they will eventually get the job will apply.
My favorite quote:
"Why do gravitate to the eye of the storm? Because in a world with no job security you have to make your own luck."
Really resonates and seems like good advice to apply to many endeavors.