Ask HN: Why does Seattle feel so risk-averse compared to the Bay Area?
5 points - today at 3:19 AM
Today I posted about an AI startup project I’m working on — zero salary, very early stage, “build for passion.” Dozens of people reached out, but almost all were from the Bay Area. Zero from Seattle.
It made me wonder: why does Seattle’s tech culture feel so optimized for W2/RSUs/stability, while the Bay feels wired for risk-taking and possibility?
Is it just my experience, or have others noticed the same cultural gap?
Could just be that people in the Bay Area are more absurdly wealthy so they have a higher risk appetite… risk tolerance tends to correlate directly with wealth and security - nobody taking zero salary is doing so in leu of food and shelter.
tobinfekkes
today at 3:43 AM
On the flip side, is there any evidence that there should not be a gap between those two cities? Why is it surprising that there is a gap? It seems like that's expected.
yellowcake0
today at 4:03 AM
apparently Seattleites have more sense
stathibus
today at 3:22 AM
There are no zoomer coders drinking YC koolaid and moving to seattle with a backpack and a dream. Seattle is where you go to live a regular american upper-middle class life.