most compelling origin story—the one that aims the spotlight squarely at the force that makes the Valley so distinctive—begins in the summer of 1957, when eight of Shockley’s young PhD researchers rose up in revolt and went out on their own. Shockley’s seniority, his fame, and even his Nobel Prize did nothing to deter the rebels; the “Traitorous Eight” were fed up with Shockley’s heavy-handed leadership and resolved to find a different home. It was that act of defection that created the magic culture of the Valley, shattering traditional assumptions about hierarchy and authority and working
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