It's more than just engineer community. Have seen it in art, music, clothing design, medTech, finTech and angel-money groups.

I think it's just human condition to lean towards charismatic "leaders". Like, they're like you wanna be so...you love them.

At this moment in history, those communities are awash in money and power. Cults of personality nucleate around the wealthy and powerful.

it's not in hacker communities... hn is much more startup and pop culture, than hacker.

still has the occasional diamond though.

The personality is meaningless without the famous product

The rate of change in technology and wild scaling amplifies winning moves. Perhaps this helps the winning players appear superhuman.

Because nerds don’t generally have any social capital and gravitate towards leaders that give them any by being in their orbit.

Personality seems to rule the product and venture capital side of things, and at the end of the day their side is in charge.

Because to glorify is human. Younger humans are particularly prone to this.

Not even nerds can escape from the curse of celebretyism.

Money.

Absurd amounts of money.