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Phil's Blogservations
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Posted by philgomes 12:29 AM
Career Home, Silicon Valley
Yet another tape-delay blog post, this one from a plane to SEA/TAC airport. I've left Silicon Valley, having spent one day in that unique region that started my career. Lacuna Coil on the MP3 player. Sleeping businessman to my left. Fellow laptop-wielding geek to my right.
(Note to dude on my right: Just because you have an iPod and I have a Rio does not make you cooler than me! You probably have Creed playing in that thing.)
My visit to Silicon Valley got me thinking... The discussion seems to have gone by the wayside, but there used to be a pretty heated argument as to whether Silicon Valley was a "region" or an "idea" that could be lifted clean and quickly replicated in other regions.
I keep vacillating about this one, but my current opinion is the former, at least for right now.
Yes, I know that there's "Silicon Alley", "Silicon Glen", "Silicon Orchard", "Silicon Tundra", "Silicon Prairie", and probably even "Silicon Swamp". Maybe it says something that "Silicon [land-type]" is meant to describe "A place where technological innovation meets wealth-creation", whether or not actual silicon-based products are even involved.
But here are some more reasons why I'm currently of the "Silicon-Valley-As-Place" mentality:
- History: The roots run pretty deep over there. To give you an idea: When Intel started up, the region was so small-town that the local paper supposedly ran Bob Noyce's and/or Gordon Moore's home phone number in a small article about the opening of the business , just like with any other new hometown enterprise.
- Education: Stanford in the 650 area code, Berkeley in the "Nickle-Dime" 510. You don't have to reach too far to get top technical talent.
- Venture Capital: Sand Hill Road. 'Nuff said.
- Regional Attitude: The counterculture traits that cause some folks to label us northern Californians as spaced-out crazies also fuel innovation and, to some degree, entrepreneurship.
Of course, there's quite a bit about Silicon Valley that might open it up to its fair share of jeers. Yes, the region is generally about as architecturally interesting as a floor covered with shoe boxes. Yes, the area must contend with the fact that San Francisco, to the north, remains the area's pre-emptive cultural destination. Yes, it's inevitable that you'll have the singular experience of being talked down to by a newly minted MBA who (ab)uses the word "strategy" several times in a meeting, as if its very frequency-of-use milled a set of keys to the C-suite.
In sum, a fair cost that I'd pay gladly again and again.
Now, I'm not one of those "Valley Bigots" who take the insane, inane, and insular view that the region has the technology-based value creation game sewn up. Far from it. That said, it will still be a while before other regions around the world can build a mature infrastructure such that Silicon Valley's success can be replicated. It's just that, right now, it would seem that Silicon Valley is still a very unique place.
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This is the blog of Phil Gomes, SVP with Edelman Digital and senior advisor to the Society for New Communications Research. This blog not only discusses PR and media matters, but Phil's everyday observations about a variety of topics. Phil currently resides in Chicago, IL.
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