Microfame, distinct from traditional celebrity, drove New York tech culture.

Evidence

Well, not traditionally famous, in the manner of a Hollywood celebrity or the Queen of England. They were studiously seeking something else, which Sorgatz called “microfame” and others called “Internet famous.” Through their blogs, start-ups, cultivation of journalists, and endless rounds of parties, New York’s tech people pursued this goal with a kind of grim determination. In this, the scene was just different from the one back West, where glory belonged solely to those who wrote the best algorithm. There, people wanted to be rich. Here, everyone wanted to be Internet famous. — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 1021

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines microfame/Internet famous as a distinct pursuit from both Hollywood celebrity and algorithmic wealth.
• XREF: Connects to other accounts of the NYC vs. Bay Area tech cultural split in the late 2000s. — connects to: Microfame is a participatory celebrity co-created by its audience. — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 1022