Nerds versus Tech Bros: the ultimate guide
A framework to find true talent in a sea of bros
Almost everyone in business has met a tech bro or two (or ten). Spotting them isn’t difficult.
They use tech jargon in every day conversation. They apply dating metaphors to closing deals, and deal metaphors to dating.
They quote ‘Zero to One’, relentlessly. They tell you “to think outside the box” but truly, they are urging you to think like they do.
They may have loud opinions. But somehow none of them are original. They wear contrarianism as a badge of honour but fail to realise that their version of it is masqueraded convention.
Silicon Valley was built on thinking differently, and they are no more than the megaphones of those who do (and have made money off of it).
But hidden beneath the bros’ senseless discourse, lies a far more intriguing group of individuals: nerds. Nerd culture combines technological experimentation with world-building ideas.
As we currently embark on an AI and Robotics revolution, it is time we cast a light on the most imaginative, creative and technologically savvy groups of individuals who, unsurprisingly, are not the loudest.
The important thing is to make the difference. By failing to distinguish tech bros from nerds, we might end up killing the very essence of venture.
So here is an easy framework to sift sand through a screen:
Technology. Let’s break the first misconstrued idea about tech bros: they know very little about tech. In fact, if you pay attention, they do not talk about tech but around tech. They’ll start with a trending topic, and instantly deliberate on its societal or economic value. Ask them to define any of the buzzwords they regularly use and their depth, or lack thereof, will become apparent.
In comparison, nerds are characterised by obsessive tendencies. If they have developed a genuine interest for technology, chances are they’ve done more than just read about it. Whether by dabbling, tinkering or developing, they will likely have a record of past projects or experiments to substantiate their technical abilities.
Original thought: both tech bros and nerds claim to go against mainstream culture. The fundamental difference is that the former camp does so under the banner of authoritative figures, or ideas that came before them. To find out how unconventional their thinking is, ask yourself: “have I heard that opinion before?”. Their positions may sound rigid, but will be dropped as soon as their gurus show them a different avenue.
In comparison, nerds rely on their own way of seeing things. Whether in fiction, gaming, or in business, they put their imagination at play. Independent thinking can manifest itself in different ways. For instance, by being system thinkers, having ease to communicate in abstract terms and asking the big questions, rather than focusing on mundane and socially-imposed problems. Their creativity invites them to think widely, which is what in turn generates entirely new ideas.
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Many sound clever, few change the world. The remarkable few say less but challenge contemporary paradigms of thought. The choice on who we pay attention to results in whether we encourage blue sky experiments, or apply a one size fits all playbook to startup building. And before you choose which is best, remember this: tech bros emerged once the ideals propagated by nerds became mainstream.
Investors need to read this! Too many treat speaking to founders like a traditional interview process; an environment in which the tech bro thrives, but a nerd withers.