In 2008, Paul Graham, a co-founder of Y Combinator, reflected on the differing cultural messages conveyed by major US cities. Graham observed, while based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that the city’s primary message was, “You should be smarter. You really should get around to reading all those books you’ve been meaning to.” Silicon Valley, where Y Combinator would relocate in 2009, held a different ethos. According to Graham, the Valley’s message was, “You should be more powerful.”
