That is the question. I think the answer already exists within each person. You just have to ask yourself, what opportunities did I wish I would have had, or which ones did I have that others did not, and what would it look like if I could provide that for them? Your journey already tells you exactly what you should do.
Great article. Really enjoyed reading it as a (semi? somewhat?) elite.
I think one of the things preventing people from exiting is the milieu. I moved to Minneapolis from SF a few years ago, post startup burnout, and I found that taking the cost of living pressure off was huge. I also had a social group that did not care about what I was doing or how much I was making.
This space led to me joining a local arts non-profit as board chair, where I used the skills I gained working in product and applied them to fixing the group's finances. That experience was so inspiring that I'm in the process of navigating a bigger career shift out of venture backed tech.
I don't think the answer is "Everyone should move to the Midwest!". Arguably, I've found my way because I've failed at parts of the elite path you're highlighting. But I think finding ways to increase exposure to other ways of life is crucial, as well as building a society that doesn't require such a high burn to live.
That’s inspiring. I agree, SF tech is cool, SF culture is decidedly uncool. Kudos to you for applying your skills and realizing where you can make a big impact. Many people never get there.
Thank you for an excellent read, Edan. I wish there were more role models really. I've read essays of VCs that tempted to ask the same question, but they can't resist the mechanism of the industry they are in. I am always surprised by how few elites chose to go into politics, even local politics, as that is a more visible way to better lives of the people around you.
Spent the last week at MIT with my classmates, and you have done a brilliant job of saying exactly what I have been unable to articulate effectively. Thank you. I’ll be sharing this, and hope to start a discussion about what we can all do differently and better.
Such an excellent essay Edan, thanks for taking the time to write it. Giving dollars a worthwhile job is so important, and hoarding them in a bank account is not the way!
This is awesome. I believe you’ve struck a wonderful tone for this purpose, I found this eminently readable even though I am living (currently) as a non-contributing elite as described. Gonna noodle on this with my partner….thank you!
This essay is magnificent. Bravo! I find many of my elite peers are interested bystanders but no longer stakeholders in critical pillars of democracy. Public ed being the most obvious. We are in a dangerous collapse of systems with no clear path forward. Inert elites are facilitating an unrecognizable and possibly terrifying outcome by hiding from their potential contributions to a truly shared future.
Thanks Lorelei. I agree, I'm trying to figure out how to make it easier for elites to access problems that need their help. lmk if you have thoughts on how.
Absolutely most important activity this year is getting us through elections 2026 in a safe, secure and successful way. There's a network forming across the USA...I attended an event yesterday addressing about how your/our community can begin to plan for collective action related to the election: Sarah Cooper, The Carter Center Michael McNulty, Issue One Larry Garber, Election Crisis Task Force. There are others, too. I'm working on a list. It is all about local resilience and prevention starting now. Convening, workshopping and training are also vital i.e. organizing a discussion about the National guard, use of force, Rule of Law, election administration etc. Connecting to Rotary Clubs, Chambers of Commerce, youth leagues, LWV, FFA, so people know each other and the bright lines of our Constitution. Creating local fellowships with community colleges to connect with local government. like Documenters project (City Bureau, Chicago) or a Maker space fellowship where a local young person helps the member of Congress learn about new forms of civic technology. (I'm a Congress nerd, so this is my area of expertise) I've set up numerous fellowships in Congress to do public good work. Our institutions are hollowed out and derelict...so giving them capacity is key. This can happen everywhere. I've written alot on this. connect with me on linkedin.
I am not an elite because I became disillusioned with the prospects of the path before amassing enough wealth.
I took my savings and decided to try to build my own financial freedom with the goal of owning my time and being able to use my capabilities without optimizing for profit.
But I haven’t made it yet. Savings run out. I don’t have the material security of the elites. And despite feeling a burning desire to use my capabilities for the betterment of the world, I’m trapped in the need to “make it” first.
I wonder every day if I should have waited and compromised until becoming elite. I wonder if I should re-enter the ladder and try again later on.
Overall I agree with huge chunks of this essay - the basic thesis that we should all seek to make society better in accordance with our abilities is, in my view, largely correct:
However:
A) I feel that despite the fact that you may not intend it that way, it does drip with condescension and judgement - statements like: “You could be shaping the world. You’re not. That’s a problem.” if that is how you approach your friends, even you do so in the friendliest way you can muster is highly high judgemental. You are stating your belief (which may not be shared) "You could be shaping the world", then impose a judgement about another person (again that belief may not be shared) "You're not" and to avoid all doubt make it clear it is a negative judgement "That's a problem". Other sections are similarly judgemental about other people's life choices. The whole notion comes across as highly self righteous. If you are forceful about it I find little surprise that you get defensiveness and perhaps people refuse to talk to you about it.
B) The notion also comes across to me as very naive - I've been to all the right places, Oxford undergrad, Cambridge PhD. McKinsey, etc. I am just about a decade and a half further down the road of life than you. It may seem that, at age 35, that you can take on the world, but you may discover later, that your early good fortune has created an illusion of capability that isn't really true. Things may happen to you between your early thirties and your fifties that may cause you to think this viewpoint isn't all that you currently believe it to be. When I was slightly older than you I wrote the founding principles of my current company - the first of which **more or less exactly mirrored the notion you put forward here**. In my late 30s I emphasized this notion and thought it was central to what mattered in the company. Now that I have a few more battle scars - I don't think so.
C) The essay does an excellent job of outlining your impressions of the issue, and categorizing the various life choices of individuals in relation to that issue, but it does practically nothing to persuade others that it is an actual issue. It then closes with a question, not a call to action, not a suggestion, a question that also does little stimulate action. I am sure you chose to finish this way, but I am left feeling completely flat. This is coming from someone **who largely agrees with you and has made past life choices in that vein**.
So my feeling is that your direction is not matched to your desired destination - and that route and approach will need to get modified in order to get there. If you like - we can talk and see if we can make these notions more productive.
re: a) i get this, but let me ask you. When you see someone who was given $10m by their parents, and uses it solely to travel the world, do drugs, and contribute nothing back to society, do you believe that that person should be doing more with their resources? I think we intrinsically believe that to be true. Your point here reflect the mutual absolution point i make in the essay. Are we allowed to expect more from each other, without it being condescending? Are we allowed to expect more from those who have more. If your answer is "this is your belief, and it may not be shared by others" that's fine. But I dont think it makes it wrong.
re: b) Can you tell me which part is naive? or maybe more interestingly, at what point in your life did you realize that doing more with your talents was a "naive" notion? Would be useful to have specifics :)
re: c) My goal is just to have the conversation in a non-inflammatory way. What should we expect of each other is a question i dont think we have a good answer to. I certainly have hopes for what that answer is, or what it should be. To your point, there is more to be said on how we get there, maybe for another post.
Uncle Ben taught us years ago, "with great power comes great responsibility." Question is, responsibility for what and to whom?
That is the question. I think the answer already exists within each person. You just have to ask yourself, what opportunities did I wish I would have had, or which ones did I have that others did not, and what would it look like if I could provide that for them? Your journey already tells you exactly what you should do.
Great article. Really enjoyed reading it as a (semi? somewhat?) elite.
I think one of the things preventing people from exiting is the milieu. I moved to Minneapolis from SF a few years ago, post startup burnout, and I found that taking the cost of living pressure off was huge. I also had a social group that did not care about what I was doing or how much I was making.
This space led to me joining a local arts non-profit as board chair, where I used the skills I gained working in product and applied them to fixing the group's finances. That experience was so inspiring that I'm in the process of navigating a bigger career shift out of venture backed tech.
I don't think the answer is "Everyone should move to the Midwest!". Arguably, I've found my way because I've failed at parts of the elite path you're highlighting. But I think finding ways to increase exposure to other ways of life is crucial, as well as building a society that doesn't require such a high burn to live.
That’s inspiring. I agree, SF tech is cool, SF culture is decidedly uncool. Kudos to you for applying your skills and realizing where you can make a big impact. Many people never get there.
This is a brilliant essay to read! Also advise to read this book on exactly this topic: Moral Ambition from Rutger Bregman.
You'd like Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy (1994) if you haven't already churned through it.
I've read some of his other work, but not this one. Thanks for the rec!
Thank you for an excellent read, Edan. I wish there were more role models really. I've read essays of VCs that tempted to ask the same question, but they can't resist the mechanism of the industry they are in. I am always surprised by how few elites chose to go into politics, even local politics, as that is a more visible way to better lives of the people around you.
agreed! imagine a truly informed, technocratic political class. would be something.
Spent the last week at MIT with my classmates, and you have done a brilliant job of saying exactly what I have been unable to articulate effectively. Thank you. I’ll be sharing this, and hope to start a discussion about what we can all do differently and better.
Such an excellent essay Edan, thanks for taking the time to write it. Giving dollars a worthwhile job is so important, and hoarding them in a bank account is not the way!
Couldn’t agree more.
Though I do not fit the definition of "elite" (yet), I found this essay to be very compelling and an important call to action. Thank you for sharing!
thanks Jose, glad that it resonated with you!
This is awesome. I believe you’ve struck a wonderful tone for this purpose, I found this eminently readable even though I am living (currently) as a non-contributing elite as described. Gonna noodle on this with my partner….thank you!
Thanks for the kind words. Glad it resonated. Let me know what the noodling produces!
This essay is magnificent. Bravo! I find many of my elite peers are interested bystanders but no longer stakeholders in critical pillars of democracy. Public ed being the most obvious. We are in a dangerous collapse of systems with no clear path forward. Inert elites are facilitating an unrecognizable and possibly terrifying outcome by hiding from their potential contributions to a truly shared future.
Thanks Lorelei. I agree, I'm trying to figure out how to make it easier for elites to access problems that need their help. lmk if you have thoughts on how.
Absolutely most important activity this year is getting us through elections 2026 in a safe, secure and successful way. There's a network forming across the USA...I attended an event yesterday addressing about how your/our community can begin to plan for collective action related to the election: Sarah Cooper, The Carter Center Michael McNulty, Issue One Larry Garber, Election Crisis Task Force. There are others, too. I'm working on a list. It is all about local resilience and prevention starting now. Convening, workshopping and training are also vital i.e. organizing a discussion about the National guard, use of force, Rule of Law, election administration etc. Connecting to Rotary Clubs, Chambers of Commerce, youth leagues, LWV, FFA, so people know each other and the bright lines of our Constitution. Creating local fellowships with community colleges to connect with local government. like Documenters project (City Bureau, Chicago) or a Maker space fellowship where a local young person helps the member of Congress learn about new forms of civic technology. (I'm a Congress nerd, so this is my area of expertise) I've set up numerous fellowships in Congress to do public good work. Our institutions are hollowed out and derelict...so giving them capacity is key. This can happen everywhere. I've written alot on this. connect with me on linkedin.
Thx.
This was the best thing I’ve read in a while. Clear-eyed without being cynical. Really appreciate you writing this.
thanks Marcus!
I am not an elite because I became disillusioned with the prospects of the path before amassing enough wealth.
I took my savings and decided to try to build my own financial freedom with the goal of owning my time and being able to use my capabilities without optimizing for profit.
But I haven’t made it yet. Savings run out. I don’t have the material security of the elites. And despite feeling a burning desire to use my capabilities for the betterment of the world, I’m trapped in the need to “make it” first.
I wonder every day if I should have waited and compromised until becoming elite. I wonder if I should re-enter the ladder and try again later on.
Great read. I hope it wakes up some.
Overall I agree with huge chunks of this essay - the basic thesis that we should all seek to make society better in accordance with our abilities is, in my view, largely correct:
However:
A) I feel that despite the fact that you may not intend it that way, it does drip with condescension and judgement - statements like: “You could be shaping the world. You’re not. That’s a problem.” if that is how you approach your friends, even you do so in the friendliest way you can muster is highly high judgemental. You are stating your belief (which may not be shared) "You could be shaping the world", then impose a judgement about another person (again that belief may not be shared) "You're not" and to avoid all doubt make it clear it is a negative judgement "That's a problem". Other sections are similarly judgemental about other people's life choices. The whole notion comes across as highly self righteous. If you are forceful about it I find little surprise that you get defensiveness and perhaps people refuse to talk to you about it.
B) The notion also comes across to me as very naive - I've been to all the right places, Oxford undergrad, Cambridge PhD. McKinsey, etc. I am just about a decade and a half further down the road of life than you. It may seem that, at age 35, that you can take on the world, but you may discover later, that your early good fortune has created an illusion of capability that isn't really true. Things may happen to you between your early thirties and your fifties that may cause you to think this viewpoint isn't all that you currently believe it to be. When I was slightly older than you I wrote the founding principles of my current company - the first of which **more or less exactly mirrored the notion you put forward here**. In my late 30s I emphasized this notion and thought it was central to what mattered in the company. Now that I have a few more battle scars - I don't think so.
C) The essay does an excellent job of outlining your impressions of the issue, and categorizing the various life choices of individuals in relation to that issue, but it does practically nothing to persuade others that it is an actual issue. It then closes with a question, not a call to action, not a suggestion, a question that also does little stimulate action. I am sure you chose to finish this way, but I am left feeling completely flat. This is coming from someone **who largely agrees with you and has made past life choices in that vein**.
So my feeling is that your direction is not matched to your desired destination - and that route and approach will need to get modified in order to get there. If you like - we can talk and see if we can make these notions more productive.
Thanks for your thoughtful note.
re: a) i get this, but let me ask you. When you see someone who was given $10m by their parents, and uses it solely to travel the world, do drugs, and contribute nothing back to society, do you believe that that person should be doing more with their resources? I think we intrinsically believe that to be true. Your point here reflect the mutual absolution point i make in the essay. Are we allowed to expect more from each other, without it being condescending? Are we allowed to expect more from those who have more. If your answer is "this is your belief, and it may not be shared by others" that's fine. But I dont think it makes it wrong.
re: b) Can you tell me which part is naive? or maybe more interestingly, at what point in your life did you realize that doing more with your talents was a "naive" notion? Would be useful to have specifics :)
re: c) My goal is just to have the conversation in a non-inflammatory way. What should we expect of each other is a question i dont think we have a good answer to. I certainly have hopes for what that answer is, or what it should be. To your point, there is more to be said on how we get there, maybe for another post.