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Silicon Valley's Secretive, Orgiastic Side

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Re: Silicon Valley's Secretive, Orgiastic Side

#171

Post by empath75 »

stcredzero wrote: post #165
empath75 wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who did a lot of ecstasy in the late 90s, I’m skeptical about how much actual sex is happening at these ecstasy fueled parties. Back when I was going to ecstasy-fueled weekend-long after parties at peoples houses, there was a lot more talking, hugging and dancing happening than sex. I think people who haven’t tried ecstasy have a really skewed idea about how people behave on it. Mostly you just want to lis…

Back when I was going to ecstasy-fueled weekend-long after parties at peoples houses, there was a lot more talking, hugging and dancing happening than sex. I only ever attended one party with MDMA. After I took a 1/2 tab, I emerged from the kitchen thinking to myself, "I'm going to try and give a massage to every woman in this living room!" I never made it past the cute med student who took the other 1/2 of the tab,…

Afaik, ‘real’ ecstasy is still pure mdma, though obviously it’s sometimes adulterated. At least in the late 90s when we used test kits it was pure mdma that we were intending to buy.

Barring some actual test kit results, i wouldn’t take people’s self reports of what they’re taking as being reliable, because people’s response to mdma seems to change a lot with repeated use.

Re: Silicon Valley's Secretive, Orgiastic Side

#172

Post by stcredzero »

aaaaathrowaway wrote: post #148
azernik wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a sex/BDSM/cuddle party scene at a lower economic level, but that's a pre-existing part of Bay Area culture; the roots are more in the gay Leathermen/Folsom Street culture, and the hippie/tantra 60s counterculture, than in rich VCs. There is increasing techie representation in that subculture (mostly engineers), but that's because every Bay Area subculture that's open to the middle class has a lot of techies…

I'm glad you brought this up, because I think it's important to emphasize just how different and disconnected these scenes are, so that one doesn't get swept up in coverage of the other. Especially as the elites making up the one described in the linked article are contributing toward pushing out the existing queer/kink scene (eg. through loss of venues to gentrification). And the latter culture, as I know it, is far…

And the latter culture, as I know it, is far, far more concerned with consent and equity than you'll generally find in straight/vanilla spaces, tying back into decades-long histories of actual liberatory struggle.

I've been to two cuddle parties. They are very concerned with consent, and I have to say that their facilitation is very well thought out. I don't think I'd put them in the same general category as other parties mentioned here, which I'd call a "bacchanal." For some attendees, it's a cross between a party and a form of group therapy.

Re: Silicon Valley's Secretive, Orgiastic Side

#173

Post by iaw »

owens99 wrote: post #126
iaw wrote: post #86

There's a lot in this article that raises red flags for me, but more about the journalism then the subject. There's an element of sensationalism implying that this is a 'side' of Silicon Valley without offering evidence of prevalence. > ... Founder X told me. The things here on the record are by those who aren't involved, those who are involved speaking on the record do so anonymously. It really seems less that this…

It's not a side for Silicon Valley. It's a side for Silicon Valley's most powerful and influential people. That does mean something.

>It's a side for Silicon Valley's most powerful and influential people

What I am trying to say is that I see the author making an allegation but they don't do a very good job of justifying. If a small percentage of all people engage in alternative lifestyle cultures then it's not surprising if a small percentage of powerful and influential people in Silicon Valley also engage.

What the author alleges is that the behavior is cultural which would put women who didn't participate at a disadvantage, neither of these assertions are backed up with a reasonable journalistic standard in the article.

Not being a member of that community I make no assertions about the veracity of the authors claims, my point is that the author is lobbing some pretty big allegations that they didn't back up well in this article.

Re: Silicon Valley's Secretive, Orgiastic Side

#174

Post by kilroy123 »

jpzisme wrote: post #48

What's up with all these sensational articles about Silicon Valley? Maybe the lifestyle is different as a VC, but as an engineer, this seems so disjointed from reality that it's almost farcical. I can barely get some of my coworkers to stop talking about code for more than a breath. There's no way that they're engaging in any of these activities. Can anyone vouch for this behavior being prevalent? To me it just seems…

I mean, yeah, you don't have 100 million in your bank account. (I'm assuming) I get the feeling this is a rich guy only kind of activity.

Re: Silicon Valley's Secretive, Orgiastic Side

#176

Post by stcredzero »

empath75 wrote: post #171
stcredzero wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back when I was going to ecstasy-fueled weekend-long after parties at peoples houses, there was a lot more talking, hugging and dancing happening than sex. I only ever attended one party with MDMA. After I took a 1/2 tab, I emerged from the kitchen thinking to myself, "I'm going to try and give a massage to every woman in this living room!" I never made it past the cute med student who took the other 1/2 of the tab,…

Afaik, ‘real’ ecstasy is still pure mdma, though obviously it’s sometimes adulterated. At least in the late 90s when we used test kits it was pure mdma that we were intending to buy. Barring some actual test kit results, i wouldn’t take people’s self reports of what they’re taking as being reliable, because people’s response to mdma seems to change a lot with repeated use.

Afaik, ‘real’ ecstasy is still pure mdma

Some young folks have tried to tell me that GHB == "ecstasy."

Re: Silicon Valley's Secretive, Orgiastic Side

#177

Post by stcredzero »

webkike wrote: post #146
justonepost wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

women trading sex for gifts. Gasp. Say it aint so. Let's call pulitzer right now.

To take that attitude further, let's look at prostitution: Prostitution is fine morally. However, the manner in which it is currently conducted in most of the world is incredibly exploitative. e.g. pimps beating the shit out of the people they're supposed to protect.

Bureaucrats can suck, but they are a whole lot better to deal with than pimps!

Re: Silicon Valley's Secretive, Orgiastic Side

#178

Post by Retra »

nvahalik wrote: post #161
guacamoleSoda wrote: post #23

This sounds like something out of Eyes Wide Shut, but with social awkwardness, baggy dad jeans, and crocs and socks. I can't imagine this is emotionally healthy for most of the folks involved. The once socially-exiled men trading wealth and drugs and (implicit) promises of career advancement for sex. The women who hope to leverage their looks for access to a better life, but risk ruining their reputations due to soci…

> Orgies are fine. I've never been to one and have no desire to go to one. The real issue here is the power-asymmetry between the men and women involved. If orgies are fine then why aren’t they part of mainstream culture? They aren’t part of the mainstream culture because orgies themselves are opposed to the things that are part of a working society: sacrifice, honor, wisdom, and self control. Thank God that our soci…

Most people on this planet believe death will be an improvement for them, yet they manage to survive just the same. Seems like our innate will to live clearly will outweigh whatever virtues you find lacking...

Re: Silicon Valley's Secretive, Orgiastic Side

#179

Post by azernik »

aaaaathrowaway wrote: post #148
azernik wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a sex/BDSM/cuddle party scene at a lower economic level, but that's a pre-existing part of Bay Area culture; the roots are more in the gay Leathermen/Folsom Street culture, and the hippie/tantra 60s counterculture, than in rich VCs. There is increasing techie representation in that subculture (mostly engineers), but that's because every Bay Area subculture that's open to the middle class has a lot of techies…

I'm glad you brought this up, because I think it's important to emphasize just how different and disconnected these scenes are, so that one doesn't get swept up in coverage of the other. Especially as the elites making up the one described in the linked article are contributing toward pushing out the existing queer/kink scene (eg. through loss of venues to gentrification). And the latter culture, as I know it, is far…

I think the loss of venues is overstated; generally, the opportunity for cheap/free admission for those in need, combined with techies able to contribute more to events and venues, has worked.

Alchemy closed, only to have the space taken by Catalyst, which continues to provide events at a similar price point. It's just a new set of owners who had the cash to make the necessary fire safety renovations.

Wicked Grounds is finally on firm financial footing, and events there now pass around a donation jar (well, pumpkin) for local non-profits instead of for the cafe itself.

The Armory has become a high-end, upper-crusty events/classes venue for people (mostly hetero couples) who know nothing and are willing to shell out $150 for a class, but by pushing out the kink.com filming sets rather than displacing a local community venue.

Re: Silicon Valley's Secretive, Orgiastic Side

#180

Post by azernik »

stcredzero wrote: post #172
aaaaathrowaway wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm glad you brought this up, because I think it's important to emphasize just how different and disconnected these scenes are, so that one doesn't get swept up in coverage of the other. Especially as the elites making up the one described in the linked article are contributing toward pushing out the existing queer/kink scene (eg. through loss of venues to gentrification). And the latter culture, as I know it, is far…

And the latter culture, as I know it, is far, far more concerned with consent and equity than you'll generally find in straight/vanilla spaces, tying back into decades-long histories of actual liberatory struggle. I've been to two cuddle parties. They are very concerned with consent, and I have to say that their facilitation is very well thought out. I don't think I'd put them in the same general category as other pa…

Yeah, I definitely agree - and in terms of the people involved they have a lot of overlap with the kink scene, though they do tend to be a more straight and cis subset.
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