"Ex-Meta exec Nick Clegg gives his take on Silicon Valley's 'cloyingly conformist' culture"

Nick Clegg, former policy chief at Meta, is navigating a fine line as he promotes his upcoming book, “How to Save the Internet.” Unlike other memoirs from Meta employees, Clegg’s book doesn’t appear to be a tell-all or a harsh critique. In an interview with The Guardian, Clegg, who previously led the U.K.’s Liberal Democrats, seems to distance himself from Silicon Valley without completely rejecting his former employer.

Clegg expressed his belief in the positive aspects of social media, despite its flaws, noting how it has enabled billions of people to communicate in ways never seen before. He also defended his decision to work for Meta, stating that he doesn’t view Mark Zuckerberg or Sheryl Sandberg as the villains they are often portrayed as.

However, Clegg didn’t shy away from criticizing Silicon Valley culture, describing it as “cloyingly conformist” where everyone dresses alike, drives the same cars, listens to the same podcasts, and follows the same trends. He also questioned the industry’s increasing focus on masculinity, calling it a puzzling mix of machismo and self-pity.