Silicon Valley now knows what disruption feels like
For the past two decades, the Bay Area has been engaged in a continual celebration of technology disruption — from music and movies to retail to health care and transportation. Along the way, the Bay Area has championed a progressive social agenda in an effort to shape the nation in its image: global, inclusive and multicultural. By and large, it has benefited millions of people, especially those with the education and adaptability to keep up with constant change.
But one thing has been sorely lacking: empathy for those struggling to keep up with the change. The message from the great Silicon Valley tech companies has been “keep up or get left behind.” Now with President Trump’s own bizarre brand of disruption, the Bay Area sees its image of the world at risk.
America First runs counter to the valley’s global viewpoint; Trump’s fear-mongering about immigrants and minorities is contrary to tech’s embrace of diversity. In short, the Age of Trump has disrupted the march of progress. The tech leaders know it: That’s why California is the capital of the Trump Resistance.
It’s not that this viewpoint isn’t right and proper, but as the Bay Area is now learning, disruption is jarring. Hopefully, a lesson can be learned here.
For at least the past decade, as technology has churned out myriad timesaving and even life-changing devices, apps and services, industry leaders haven’t seemed to focus much on those who struggle to keep up. While a slice of America, especially on the coasts, has done quite well, many in industrialized regions have not. You know, the regions that we sometimes like to call the “flyover states.”
Yet it’s the economic angst in cities such as Akron, Ohio, Allentown, Pa., and Allen Park, Mich., that led voters to tip the election to Trump. Fear and resentment were building before Trump, and will continue after he leaves, unless as a society we do something about it. And it’s not just angry white males: Trump received nearly the same amount of support from females as Mitt Romney did in 2012.
Right after the election, I wrote that the best way for Silicon Valley to react to the Trump win was to get back to the mission of the early days of the Internet. That includes a focus on finding solutions that level the playing field among people — education, economic opportunity, health — instead of what seems to be the recent push to make the lives of the well-off just a little bit better. Resist all you want, but also realize that investing in solving the problems of those who feel left behind by technology will stop future Trumps from emerging.
And consider this: Think how much time, energy and, yes, money the Bay Area is spending worrying about and trying to counter the Trump presidency. For example, I’m sure Tom Steyer would rather be spending his money on advancing clean energy than on organizing an impeach-PresidentTrump campaign.
Instead, the great companies of the Bay Area should consider investing time and money in cities and towns in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and elsewhere. Create apprenticeship programs that lead to new jobs, support academies at community colleges and build facilities there. You will become part of the community and it will become part of you.
There are hundreds of thousands of tech-related jobs that don’t necessarily require a college degree, and probably more to come as the Internet of Things connects billions of devices and locations. Many aren’t being filled, because Americans either don’t have the skills or simply never thought about such a job. While the Bay Area often thinks of these jobs as working at a tech company, remember: More than half of tech jobs today aren’t at an information technology company. They are in retail, transportation and health care.
So if you don’t like the images you see of hate-filled rallies, remember that people who have jobs and hope rarely have enough time on their hands to hate. They’re too busy building a future.
For that reason alone, the community — from the workers at companies to political leaders to citizens — should be calling on tech companies to expand not only their product reach but also their commitment to the economic success of the rest of the country,
And, by the way, tech companies so important to the region will sell more products — time-saving devices and apps aren’t valuable to those who have all the time in the world because they don’t have a job.
So start getting to know the other half of America — and let them get to know you. It will be the most effective way to realize the vision of a moreinclusive America that the technology world hopes to achieve.
Tom Galvin, a former political journalist, is a partner of Vrge Strategies. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters.