Indian scientist calls out Silicon Valley techies who work long hours but call weekend camping 'reconnecting with nature'

Scientist sparks debate over techies outsourcing chores yet seeking authenticity in weekend outdoor escapes. (Image credit: Pixels)

• Ram Swaminathan prefers urban walks over nature hikes in the Bay Area
• His viral post sparked debate on lifestyle, tech culture, and work-life balance
• He values routine and simple city moments for fulfillment

Did our AI summary help?

A LinkedIn post by India-origin scientist Ram Swaminathan triggered an animated discussion online about everyday life in the US. The California-based scientist revealed that despite living there for more than two years, he had never visited Lake Tahoe or Yosemite. “You know, I’ve lived in the Bay Area for more than twenty-five years, and I’ve never been to Lake Tahoe or Yosemite. And I have no plans,” he said

He added that people often responded with disbelief and shock when he shared this detail. “As if I just announced I’m allergic to oxygen.”

Clarifying his stance, Swaminatham said his views did not stem from a dislike for nature. “It is not that I dislike hiking; I am more of an urbanite and less of a nature buff,” he wrote.

Rather than long hiking, he prefers walking through neighbourhood streets, and birds and blue skies are very much part of the city life too. Instead of long trails, his walks wind through neighbourhood streets filled with schools, cricket grounds, coffee shops and crosswalks. “Trees, birds, and blue sky, too.”

With a witty swipe at Bay Area tech culture, Swaminatham said, “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.”

Questioning the contradiction, he highlighted that people often outsource routine chores while trying to reconnect with nature on weekends. He joked that the Roomba seemed to have a better work-life balance than its owners, adding that he found the trend amusing and baffling. “The Roomba probably has a better work life balance than its owners.”

Wrapping up his post, Swaminathan spoke bout valuing routine over novelty. “I run almost all my errands on foot within a three-mile radius.” He added that for him, fulfilment comes from celebrating simple moments like passing bakeries, greeting neighbours, and returning home stress-free.  “If that makes me weird, I’ll walk it off,” he concluded.

The post quickly went viral, drawing widespread responses.

One user said. “I'm 100% all set on 'roughing it out'. And I'll get my peace of mind or flow state from walking the hood with my kid or biking to Trader Joe's for groceries, thank you very much.”

Another user added, “I do agree, of course, that emphasising a need to disconnect, while being hyperconnected all of the time otherwise, is pretty funny. But there are ways to avoid hypocrisy in ethos here.”

A third user wrote, “You're living a good and healthy life sir. However, I disagree with this part "I get all the exercise I need from life itself". You do need 70g protein a day and strength training. You're doing a lot of cardio which is good, but cardio without strength training leads to muscle loss. Naturally, everyone loses muscle mass after the age of 35, which is called sarcopenia. This is especially common in senior age.”