The Birth of American IT: From Hippie Creativity to Silicon Valley

The Birth of American IT: From Hippie Creativity to Silicon Valley

Introduction:
Why are major IT companies like Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and eBay all born in the United States? These companies have set the standards for PCs, created the internet, and connected the world through social media. While other industries, like the automotive industry in Detroit, may have struggled, the IT companies centered around Silicon Valley in the US have continued to innovate and lead the world. This article explores how the culture of freedom and counterculture, particularly the hippie movement, in the US, especially in the western region, influenced the creation of Silicon Valley and the IT industry. The values of freedom, collaboration, sharing, and openness that were important to the hippies have given birth to global companies that strive for a better and connected world.

The Influence of Hippie Culture on IT:
Steve Jobs, the "hero" of Apple, mentioned in his last speech at Stanford University, "Stay hungry. Stay foolish," and introduced the "Whole Earth Catalog," a magazine for hippies that he openly admitted had influenced him. Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, does not hesitate to admit that he was a hacker. Sergey Brin and Larry Page brought the spirit of the Burning Man festival to Google. The Burning Man festival, known for its emphasis on collaboration and creation, is based on the sharing spirit that was important to the hippies. To understand and lead IT and the web with a vision, it is essential to explore how they were created in their social, cultural, and economic contexts, the people behind important decisions, and the social and cultural factors that made change possible.

The Connection between Hippies and American IT:
Just as democracy began in ancient Athens and web culture developed in the western United States in the 1960s, it is not a coincidence that the foundation of the web was created in the western United States in the 1960s. The author, Junichi Ikeda, questions why Japanese companies like Sony and Panasonic, which once dominated the world, declined while the US IT industry prevailed. This question is still relevant in South Korea today, where companies like Samsung have not become Apple, and services like Cyworld have not evolved into platforms like Facebook. The answer cannot simply be that the US is the world's superpower or that computers were invented in the US. The author focuses on the creative and imaginative context that has nurtured the innovation of US IT companies and their vision for a better society, which has led to the reform of industries and society.

The Unique Values of American IT Companies:
The author applies the metaphor of "Jin-Seon-Mi" (真善美), which represents truth, goodness, and beauty, to IT companies. Google, with its pursuit of scientific rationality, represents truth. Facebook, aiming to connect users and build communities, represents goodness. Apple, with its human touch in product design, represents beauty. Beyond selling technology or products, American IT companies share their vision with the world and request people's empathy. They present a model of global business with vision and empathy. Sergey Brin and Larry Page of Google pursue scientific objectivity and view individuals as devices for inputting information into the web. On the other hand, Mark Zuckerberg focuses on connecting multiple individuals through a network. By involving many people in shared activities, Facebook enriches the web. Apple allows individuals to enjoy the web freely and control the network through their products. Apple emphasizes the restoration of humanity and freedom in its products.

The Influence of American Social and Cultural Context:
Each company has its own values, which are reflected in their service development and design. The reason why US IT companies are different lies in the clear values they have established within the social and cultural context they have inherited. The visionary leaders of these companies present their own visions within these values and are reforming not only industries but also society. The harmonious combination of American socializing and the Roman spirit can be seen in Facebook. In the early days, Facebook was a closed and exclusive social network for a few Harvard students. This exclusivity represents the essence of social networks. Social networks are more about socializing, rather than society as a whole or a community. As the US is a society where networks are more important than we imagine, individuals consider networks as valuable assets. Therefore, maintaining alumni networks becomes important, and Facebook was born in such a social environment.

The Power of Imagination and Memory:
Our brain prefers image memory. Vivid and intense stories with scenes are particularly memorable, as our brain has a strong memory for narratives. In the past, when there were no written records, experiences were passed down through oral storytelling, which deeply influenced our memory. When memorizing something, structuring scenes and adding intense and vivid colors make it easier to remember. The easier the memory is stored, the more difficult it becomes to retrieve, and the more difficult the memory is stored, the relatively easier it becomes to retrieve. Therefore, even if we read many books, if we cannot retrieve the necessary information from our brain, we cannot consider it as effective learning. We are simply trapped in the familiarity of mechanically reading books, repeating note-taking and memorization, without being able to retrieve the information when needed. To achieve truly effective learning, we need to focus on how we can retrieve information from our brain when learning.

Conclusion:
The birth of American IT companies, from the influence of hippie culture and counterculture to the harmonious combination of American socializing and the Roman spirit, reflects the values and vision that these companies share with the world. Understanding the social and cultural context in which these companies have evolved and the values that they have established is crucial to understanding their success. Three actionable advice to take away from this exploration are: 1) Recognize the influence of social and cultural factors on innovation and vision, 2) Embrace imagination and storytelling techniques in learning and memory, and 3) Understand the importance of retrieving information from our brain rather than simply storing it. By incorporating these insights, we can strive for innovation and success in our own endeavors.