Mason  🏃‍♂️ ✂️

You can understand the SFBA as a region at war between those who believe in static humans trapped by fate, good or bad, vs. those who believe in human dynamism, potential & growth. Or: zero-sum players vs. positive-sum players.https://twitter.com/TheAgeofShoddy/status/1184591017598734336 …

Wealthy boomer landowners & the local permanent underclass kept under their thumb have an uneasily alliance, here. New blood — who, without personal dynamism, could never succeed here — align with visitors, who often come under the impression that "Silicon Valley" is descriptive

The war isn't contrived. The Wealthy Boomers grow their wealth on the New Blood, but they also believe that without them the Permanent Underclass would be more easily contained to ghettos that are now becoming gentrified, and less often pushed into their spaces

The Permanent Underclass is rightfully resentful of being pushed out of their homes due to a static housing stock that primarily benefits the Wealthy Boomers, but as it's the New Blood moving in, it's not hard to point their spears in their direction

The Wealthy Boomers, whose assets are largely untaxed, keep the spears pointed away from them by bemoaning the "lack of services" & insisting the New Blood pay for more. Many in the Permanent Underclass would rather a path to self-sufficiency, but who's offering that? Noone.

In fact, to maintain the state of things, the wealthy zero-sum players have to make sure the poor fundamentally accept their framework. But they'll still call the cops if a tent pops up on their sidewalk, god forbid

Meanwhile, the New Blood are thinking "WTF? I thought this place wanted me." Yes and no. To one team, you're a useful scapegoat; to the other, you're a thrilling & potentially profitable combatant in the modern Hunger Games. Good luck with that.