And sometimes it is. Sometimes seniority beats sanity, sometimes self-interest beats public interest.

But, taking the view from the other side, the establishment sees an endless parade of bold, brilliant, I'm-the-exception types running up to knock it down. In such a position they might be forgiven, after the dozenth encounter with yet another visionary, for rolling their eyes.

And I imagine that the California establishment has seen one or two techno-utopians by now.