Bay Area politics are much more nuanced than that.
For example, there's always been a strong Libertarian community in the larger Tech community. And over the last couple years a lot of online Libertarian communities have shifted to more right (and far-right) ideology.
There's also a strong Leftist community in the Bay Area, arguably much stronger than the rest of the country. This shouldn't be forgotten. You're way more likely to meet a Communist at a bar in SF than most parts of this country.
There's a strong "liberal" community in the Bay Area, these people will support liberal social issues (Gay/Trans inclusion, virulently anti-Trump, supporting of Muslims and other oppressed communities, reigning in the banks, etc.). But, a lot of these people also suffer from the Not-In-My-Backyard syndrome and will balk at modest reforms to Schooling or Housing Policy.
There's also Reagan Republicans, Antifacists, Anarchists, and people who aren't checked into Politics at all.
I'm not saying everyone in the Bay Area fits into one of these groups or even that my characterizations of these groups are accurate. These groups aren't monoliths.
I would just encourage you to not let your heart get broken, things can get better. The Bay Area is still very Progressive. Volunteer for a Progressive Campaign, DSA, or some other progressive organization and I think you'll get your hope back!
There's also a strong Leftist community in the Bay Area, arguably much stronger than the rest of the country. This shouldn't be forgotten. You're way more likely to meet a Communist at a bar in SF than most parts of this country.
I went to Berkeley in the 80s. I’ve been back and it’s no where near as counter culture. It’s often the difference between hippie and hipster.
The reality is that if you live your convictions, it starts to become impossible to afford to live in the Bay Area, much like it becomes more and more impossible to remain honest and keep winning elections to higher and higher office. Such people either sell out or move out.
At the same time, the Bay Area's concentration of tech labor has fostered a new left-leaning political force, one that is still in the process of decoupling from the bosses and party politics and realizing a unique voice.
I do think that things are different now, and there's very substantial generation gap in the political scene that has made it hard to create movement, but the threads that connect the old to the new are there and are rapidly getting stronger as tech has gotten more consolidated under a few roofs.
I’m glad that more people are getting a bit more woke, but sadly humanity has the bad habit of sleeping through the screeches of the smoke alarm, waking up only after the house is burning.
The people in the penthouse can go a long time before the fire ever reaches them; and they’ll probably get airlifted out anyway.
Comments
Bay Area politics are much more nuanced than that.
For example, there's always been a strong Libertarian community in the larger Tech community. And over the last couple years a lot of online Libertarian communities have shifted to more right (and far-right) ideology.
There's also a strong Leftist community in the Bay Area, arguably much stronger than the rest of the country. This shouldn't be forgotten. You're way more likely to meet a Communist at a bar in SF than most parts of this country.
There's a strong "liberal" community in the Bay Area, these people will support liberal social issues (Gay/Trans inclusion, virulently anti-Trump, supporting of Muslims and other oppressed communities, reigning in the banks, etc.). But, a lot of these people also suffer from the Not-In-My-Backyard syndrome and will balk at modest reforms to Schooling or Housing Policy.
There's also Reagan Republicans, Antifacists, Anarchists, and people who aren't checked into Politics at all.
I'm not saying everyone in the Bay Area fits into one of these groups or even that my characterizations of these groups are accurate. These groups aren't monoliths.
I would just encourage you to not let your heart get broken, things can get better. The Bay Area is still very Progressive. Volunteer for a Progressive Campaign, DSA, or some other progressive organization and I think you'll get your hope back!
I went to Berkeley in the 80s. I’ve been back and it’s no where near as counter culture. It’s often the difference between hippie and hipster.
The reality is that if you live your convictions, it starts to become impossible to afford to live in the Bay Area, much like it becomes more and more impossible to remain honest and keep winning elections to higher and higher office. Such people either sell out or move out.
At the same time, the Bay Area's concentration of tech labor has fostered a new left-leaning political force, one that is still in the process of decoupling from the bosses and party politics and realizing a unique voice.
I do think that things are different now, and there's very substantial generation gap in the political scene that has made it hard to create movement, but the threads that connect the old to the new are there and are rapidly getting stronger as tech has gotten more consolidated under a few roofs.
I’m glad that more people are getting a bit more woke, but sadly humanity has the bad habit of sleeping through the screeches of the smoke alarm, waking up only after the house is burning.
The people in the penthouse can go a long time before the fire ever reaches them; and they’ll probably get airlifted out anyway.