Ask HN: Why does Seattle feel so risk-averse compared to the Bay Area?
5 annyma 4 9/2/2025, 3:19:12 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?
Comments (4)
taurath · 5h ago
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 · 8h ago
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 · 8h ago
apparently Seattleites have more sense
stathibus · 9h ago
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.