Rich People and Nerds

According to Paul Graham, "you only need two kinds of people to create a technology hub: rich people and nerds."

This is a very cool article on the why some cities can become Silicon Valleys and others cannot.

Having lived in Boulder since 1991 and having written about the local VD/technology/startup scene I agree with him that Boulder has the right stuff.

Graham mentions sunlight and until recently I didn't realize to what extent good city planning has played a role in making Boulder more liveable. The Pearl Street Mall in Boulder is a pedestrian mall and one of the best in the country. Lots of shops, outdoor cafes, places to sit, etc. There is a long-standing height limit on buildings in Boulder, which this means there is sun everywhere you walk, plus mountain views. Boulder feels more like a small town than a big city, even though we have many big city resources.

Paul Graham: How to Be Silicon Valley: "Nerds don't care about glamour, so to them the appeal of New York is a mystery. People who like New York will pay a fortune for a small, dark, noisy apartment in order to live in a town where the cool people are really cool. A nerd looks at that deal and sees only: pay a fortune for a small, dark, noisy apartment.

"Nerds will pay a premium to live in a town where the smart people are really smart, but you don't have to pay as much for that. It's supply and demand: glamour is popular, so you have to pay a lot for it.

"Most nerds like quieter pleasures. They like cafes instead of clubs; used bookshops instead of fashionable clothing shops; hiking instead of dancing; sunlight instead of tall buildings. A nerd's idea of paradise is Berkeley or Boulder."

economic development
creative class
third places
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