TLDR: Silicon Valley has been de-mystified, but you’re asking “where’s the magic?” // One thing I’ve been meditating on in Tokyo is “de-mystification” Silicon Valley has a lot of lore. A lot of “how did they do that”-isms that we love and respect and reference constantly Overtime this has been shed to some degree. There are equal private and public tellings of these tales. But generally the meta has been to de-mystify or better yet “DEMOCRATIZE” these stories/learnings on podcasts, during fireside chats, in substacks etc. Nothing better exemplifies this than YC in my opinion. They positioned themselves quite famously as “YC or HBS” -> and as a result creating coursework was a major activity for them YC Startup School and all their YouTube programming. Worked to demystify the valley, pull talent in, and secure further capital to that talent they’ve pulled in. The flywheel. When I was in college, I ate this up. Where previously I was little Wharton undergrad already sworn off finance… these videos directed the entire second half of my undergrad But time and scale and riches and glories later. We now see what I generally call “meta-startups” Their only goal is playing the game. They have no vision beyond attention and scale. They have no sense of impact or betterment. All romanticism is gone. Cluely represents what you get on the other side of complete de-mystification — what @seanxthielen loves to call “gross spectacle” That’s the environment. But the white pill is that substance, can cut through even more. The people genuinely yearn for the next Apple. Care, craft, a love of the arts. Give it to them. Give it to them forreal, not just the cosplay. You’ll find there’s no playbook. It can’t be copied. It’s a lot harder. But you won’t feel gross.