4 min readNew DelhiJan 26, 2026 01:43 PM IST
First published on: Jan 26, 2026 at 01:43 PM IST
India-origin scientist Ram Swaminathan recently sparked a conversation about everyday life in the US, questioning those who work 60 hours a week in Silicon Valley but escape city life over the weekend.
In a lengthy LinkedIn post, the California-based scientist said that, despite having lived in the Bay Area for decades, he had never visited two of the region’s most iconic natural attractions: Lake Tahoe and Yosemite.
“And I have no plans. People react as if I just announced I’m allergic to oxygen,” the chief scientist and advisor, Fluild Inference, wrote in his post.
Swaminathan said his preferences are often misunderstood as a rejection of nature. “It is not that I dislike hiking; I am more of an urbanite and less of a nature buff,” he said.
Rather than long hikes and remote trails, Swaminathan said he finds joy in walking through city neighbourhoods. “Usually, my hikes are short and urban, and my trails have schools, cricket grounds, coffee shops, and crosswalks. Trees, birds, and blue sky, too,” he wrote.
‘Pretending it’s reconnecting with nature’
Taking a dig at Bay Area tech culture, Swaminathan wrote, “But here’s the thing about Bay Area techies. They “claim” to work sixty hours a week doing vibe coding in a multi-million dollar home, then reward themselves by sleeping in a tent, cooking canned beans over a portable stove, and pretending it’s “reconnecting with nature” over the weekend. They hire a maid to clean the house, a Roomba to sweep the floor, a gardner to mow the lawn, a cook to prepare organic quinoa bowls, and a nanny to raise their kids, all so they can free up time to “rough it” on weekends”.
He also remarked that robotic vacuum cleaners might be better off than their owners. “The Roomba probably has a better work-life balance than its owners. It vacuums for thirty minutes, then docks itself for a nap and a recharge”.
Swaminathan also reflected on his preference for routine over novelty. “I run almost all my errands on foot within a three-mile radius, including groceries, restaurants, car maintenance, and even doctor visits. My smartphone probably thinks I’m training for an “walking ultra-marathon,” but no, I’m just returning home from one errand to another. I get all the exercise I need from life itself.”
He said he doesn’t have to “strap on a backpack and drive four hours to prove I’m alive”. “I walk past bakeries, smell freshly cooked food from restaurants, wave at or chat with the neighbors crossing, and come home with my heart rate up and my sanity intact… I’m one of the few souls who walks everywhere on weekends while the rest of Silicon Valley drives four hours to sleep in a $500 tent, calls it adventure, and then posts about it on Instagram from their Tesla on the way home. If that makes me weird, I’ll “walk” it off,” he added.
Read his post here:
The post quickly gained traction, sparking a wave of reactions.
“Very well said and very true. But camping and nature is not to be despised, it has its own charm. We are psychological beings, we can’t disconnect or change context till our surroundings change,” a user wrote.
“Haha.. Quite amusing post. I call this a nerdy cult. And spot on, on the Tesla part,” another user commented.
“Climbing mountains on weekends but avoid climbing own stairs.Lifting weights at the gym but won’t carry own groceries,” a third user reacted.
Swaminathan said his preferences are often misunderstood as a rejection of nature. (Canva) 
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