On Leaving California and the Silicon Valley
I don&#x27;t understand the author&#x27;s focus on himself and his personal happiness, even though he is obviously entitled to it. This really illustrates the entire Millennial focus on &quot;do what makes you happy&quot; to me.<p>People don&#x27;t live in the suburbs because they want access to museums and night clubs for themselves. They give up their own happiness for the sake of their children. They buy a more expensive home to put their children into a higher-achieving school. They live in a remote cul-de-sac so their children can safely ride bicycles and shoot hoops in the driveway. Their idea of &quot;going out&quot; is a drab, desiccated local park in the foothills because it is safe and healthy, not because it&#x27;s fun or diverse. They put pressure on their kids to succeed so they can afford to live in this area when they grow up and repeat the cycle to become well-paid professionals and suburban parents. People pursue this stressful and family-focused lifestyle away from big, busy cities precisely because they want the same for their children, or better.<p>When the author says that there is no clubbing or spontaneity in Silicon Valley, he demonstrates just how out of touch he is with our local communities, and how little he understood the motivations of the people living here. It makes all the sense in the world for him to move away and find a better fit for his personality! I hope he likes New York better! People live here because they are executing a very precise and demanding life plan for the sake of the next generation, not because they want to be spontaneous and fun. We don&#x27;t need that here.