A documentary filmmaker from the BBC recently dropped by the headquarters of Alarm Clock Worldwide. She was in San Francisco researching an upcoming documentary about the culture of Silicon Valley.

Just in from London, she told us she was shocked by the very plainness of what she had encountered so far during her location scouting. She expected to see something more glamorous, more opulent. We were reminded that the banality of Silicon Valley, while commonplace to us, is actually quite unexpected for those whose image of the crown jewel of Northern California has been shaped by a steady flow of celebratory news stories.

You know the ones. They invariably depict the center of the high tech revolution as a utopia for liberated geeks—one in which prosperity mingles with sunshine to create an atmosphere of invigorating opportunity. They tell us that Silicon Valley is a place of limitless potential a meritocracy which allows anyone with a bright idea—and the gumption to see it through—a shot at staggering riches.

Well, for some the Valley is a glittering utopia in which truly innovative products and remarkable sums of money are made. Hence, the consistent tone of exultation in the coverage we see. But the Valley also emits quieter tones of alienation and ennui. This week at alarm:clock digital, contributor Tomas Matza explores these themes in his review of Jeff Goodell's new book, Sunnyvale: the Rise and Fall of a Silicon Valley Family.

With all the excitement about what has been gained by the New Economy and the general prosperity it has created, side effects like personal loss and individual angst are usually overlooked. Goodell's book reminds us that the breathless march towards the future leaves a certain amount of human rubble along the way.

And he's not alone in his sentiment. Goodell's work represents the latest contribution to a small but growing body of artistic work created by Silicon Valley natives which contemplates the less triumphant aspects of their region's growth. In the same category, we recommend a clever independent film called I Want to Blow Up Silicon Valley written and directed by Jason Ward, a one-time resident of Menlo Park who now lives in the sleepy town of La Honda, safely beyond the reach of the Valley. The title of the movie, in this case, says it all.

Of course, economic Darwinians will say that there are inevitable casualties during any period of prosperity. It's the cost of doing business. We don't dispute this. Companies go under, jobs are lost, and products fail because other companies are better and beat their competitors into submission. In fact, the recent downturn of the market has helped bring a measure of sense back to this part of the world. The sudden layoffs at many dot coms have put a human face on the potential consequences of unbridled and mindless optimism.

But, as Jeff Goodell suggests in his book and Jason Ward in his movie, we should remember that the consequences of economic prosperity are not just economic. Unfortunately, for a sector that is as self-congratulatory as the technology industry, cautionary tales like Goodell's and Ward's will most likely go in one ear and out the other.

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