The deep amount of anxiety people in tech are feeling is off the charts. Had a couple conversations with people of various ages and the themes are:
- Every day there are 5 new earth shattering new tech breakthroughs. I can’t keep up. Should I be keeping up? Am I falling behind?
- What does my career and skill mean in the age of AI? Is software engineering a 30yr long career any more? Is product management?
- Is my only hope to start a company?
- At the very least, it feels like I should join a startup but which one? Everything seems either overvalued or has no moat.
- Okay I joined a startup. Is my company’s equity worth anything or will this be another Airtable or Miro?
- Startup is doing well. How in the world am I supposed to find a significant other?
- Will these immigration policy shifts allow me to be here long term?
- Will I ever be able to afford a house and a life in the Bay Area amidst the biggest wealth creation event of all time?
- Okay, I figured all of that out. What is my purpose? I’m wealthy but no one really cares. I don’t really know what to do with it. Am I supposed to start a company?
- Alright I found peace in kids. But I’m worried about them. How does one raise kids in this climate? What are the rules of this new world order?
Many of these concerns are of course not limited to tech or the Bay, although it feels particularly concentrated here (versus what I see in NYC). Maybe some people will read this and feel anxious themselves, and for that I apologize.
For the rest, just know that it’s not just you who feels this way. It’s a lot of people!