As a longtime Massachusetts / Boston resident, the culture of the city may have something to do with it.
Boston is, at its heart, a Puritan settlement. This has been used as a sleight against Boston, but I don't mean it that way. But it is a word that captures the essence of what I mean.
A superficial example shows itself to visitors immediately. Most people who visit Boston come away thinking the people are cold and unfriendly, especially if traveling from a very outgoing culture like you find in, say, California.
Having lived here, I can say, this is often true, Bostonians are not known for being welcoming of outsiders. But they are extremely loyal, honest, and dependable as a rule as well. If a Bostonian tells you they will be at your party next weekend, they probably will! I had some trouble adjusting to the fact that this isn't really assumed in other places (California...)
Another is the work ethic. Bostonians (as a rule) abhor flash and glamour. They prefer good old fashioned hard work. Leave the get rich quick schemes to New York, we will get rich slow.
I think that Boston needs to adjust to the pace that the tech world works at, and I think it will take some time. But, then again, the tech world will probably also benefit greatly when the deliberate wisdom of Boston again rises in the tech world.
And it will. Eventually.
To be fair, Cambridge, where I really live, has a culture of its own, and is often more reminiscent of Berkeley than Boston. But when you're talking about money, for the large part, you're also talking about Boston. Also, even in Cambridge, the focus is still definitely much more on academic achievement than entrepreneurial achievement.
I grew up in the North East and spent a good amount of time living in Boston. One thing I always noticed about Bostonians was that upon meeting anyone new one of the very first questions they ask is "where are you from" (and I also felt there was asterisk there: *in Massachusetts/NE). This may seem like a small thing but it speaks a lot to the main focus being "which direction did you come from" rather than "which direction are you going?" placing a lot more value on pedigree than entrepreneurship. I later moved out West and have never been asked this until knowing people much longer, and usually as a point of small talk.
and the second question is always "what do you do?" and, up until very recently, answering with "I work at a web startup" was met with extremely puzzled and questioning looks.
I'm someone who didn't grow up in the Northeast. I worked and lived in Boston for a short time in 2005. I found Boston people to be awesome. Just very friendly and sincere.
I did find them to be a little more no-nonsense or cynical than average. That might explain some of this.
I must have grown up in a different part of the city than you frequent.
Families in my neighborhood were not hardworking, or honest. The vast majority of them were either petty criminals (most of my friends growing up stole cars or robbed liquor stores) or in organized crime (like my family). Everyone had a scheme, or an angle they were trying to play to get money quickly.
When I go home now, I never feel like I'm back there until I hear someone call someone else "fucking retarded" (never been more than a few hours).
I'm not disagreeing with your characterization of "salt of the earth Boston people", I'm just saying that like anywhere, people aren't all the same.
Boston is, at its heart, a Puritan settlement. This has been used as a sleight against Boston, but I don't mean it that way. But it is a word that captures the essence of what I mean.
A superficial example shows itself to visitors immediately. Most people who visit Boston come away thinking the people are cold and unfriendly, especially if traveling from a very outgoing culture like you find in, say, California.
Having lived here, I can say, this is often true, Bostonians are not known for being welcoming of outsiders. But they are extremely loyal, honest, and dependable as a rule as well. If a Bostonian tells you they will be at your party next weekend, they probably will! I had some trouble adjusting to the fact that this isn't really assumed in other places (California...)
Another is the work ethic. Bostonians (as a rule) abhor flash and glamour. They prefer good old fashioned hard work. Leave the get rich quick schemes to New York, we will get rich slow.
I think that Boston needs to adjust to the pace that the tech world works at, and I think it will take some time. But, then again, the tech world will probably also benefit greatly when the deliberate wisdom of Boston again rises in the tech world.
And it will. Eventually.
To be fair, Cambridge, where I really live, has a culture of its own, and is often more reminiscent of Berkeley than Boston. But when you're talking about money, for the large part, you're also talking about Boston. Also, even in Cambridge, the focus is still definitely much more on academic achievement than entrepreneurial achievement.