Raised in Silicon Valley: A Culture of Innovation
by Coat of Arms reporter Melissa Demma ’15

If you ask someone in Hollywood what their job is, most of them will say, “Oh, I’m an actor.” Now let’s migrate north a bit. If you ask someone in Silicon Valley what their job is, most people will say, “Oh, well I’m an entrepreneur,” or, “I’m CEO of my own startup.”

Going to a private school in the wealthiest zip code in the nation, we are constantly surrounded by hard working, self-made CEOs and venture capitalists. People are always buzzing about technological advances, startup companies, and the stock market. Silicon Valley includes some of the largest technology corporations, and thousands of startups. It is the place where companies in their early stages can be worth billions of dollars.

Growing up in the Silicon Age and living in its small bubble of affluence has given me tremendous advantages, as it has the rest of my peers at Menlo. Similar to the old saying, “Out with the old, and in with the new,” we have grown up finding more power in innovation and transformation than in maintaining the old. Our brains are programmed to always be thinking of what’s next and to notice the evolving culture around us. We live in the heart of the fast and furious present, which, for most of us, is used as motivation.

But don’t get me wrong; you pay a price when you live among the affluence in Silicon Valley. We get labeled under the stereotype “spoiled, bratty, rich kids, who will never have to work for anything.” Ironically, Menlo kids dispute this stereotype with their hard working and driven demeanors.

The idea of disruption is a huge concept in Silicon Valley. I’m not talking about the disruption parents teach their kids to stray from. The word disruption in Silicon Valley describes transformative and innovative creations. Creations that change the way the past functioned. For example, Uber was a disruption to taxi cabs. While shadowing or meeting with business people, I have realized that word comes up constantly.

Disruption goes hand in hand with the idea of progress. If we aren’t working towards disruption as a society, we aren’t working towards anything. No place understands that concept better than our very own hometown and school. In class, we work towards creating disruption. We are asked to be creative, and not only told to think outside the box, but expected to do so.

Living in the Silicon Age, I have realized one last thing about the world we live in. Here education is not just a requirement, but instead a privilege, and students at Menlo embrace that concept. It is a duty of ours, living in the valley, to explore and attempt to understand our surroundings, and use all of the influence around us for society’s own benefit. But at times being involved in the evolving culture, people have a hard time maintaining their own sense of being, their own morals, and opinions. They get too involved in the mechanical way of corporate societies, and lose their own independence and aspirations. Losing our individuality in the craze of the Valley will prevent us from disruption and progress. We need different opinions and viewpoints to continue at the innovation level we are at currently. At Menlo, we are taught to keep our unique and creative sense of being.

The Valley has taught me to appreciate and value individuality. It motivates me towards making changes in society and to refrain from living a mechanical life. It was founded on the idea that if I don’t believe something is right in our cultural system, I better go attempt to change it. That’s the greatest lesson Silicon Valley taught me: go get ’em, regardless of what tries to hold me back.