Nick Clegg, the former UK deputy prime minister and one-time president of global affairs at Meta, has launched a scathing critique of Silicon Valley’s culture. Speaking ahead of the release of his new book How to Save the Internet, Clegg described the tech hub as arrogant, conformist, and home to “tech bros” who act like victims despite immense privilege.

In an interview with The Guardian, Clegg expressed his deep frustration with what he perceives as a warped sense of victimhood among some of Silicon Valley’s most powerful figures.

“In Silicon Valley, far from thinking they’re lucky, they think they’re hard done by, [that] they’re victims,” Clegg said. “I couldn’t, and still can’t, understand this deeply unattractive combination of machismo and self-pity.”

Clegg, who resigned from Meta in January and has since returned to London, said the culture of self-pity among wealthy tech executives is hard to stomach. He went further, calling the region “cloyingly conformist,” suggesting that many in the Valley live within an echo chamber of wealth and trends.

“Everyone wears the same clothes, drives the same cars, listens to the same podcasts, follows the same fads,” he remarked.

Despite his criticisms, Clegg was careful to distinguish between the broader culture and his former boss, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He described Zuckerberg in glowing terms, calling him “thoughtful and endlessly curious,” even about subjects outside his own expertise.

However, others did not escape his rebuke. Clegg singled out Tesla CEO Elon Musk as an example of the bravado he finds distasteful.

“It is a cultural thing, from Elon Musk’s chainsaw-wielding stuff to any Silicon Valley podcast. If you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression,” he said.

His remarks also come at a politically charged moment. In recent years, some of Silicon Valley’s biggest leaders—including Zuckerberg, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Apple CEO Tim Cook—have been seen leaning closer to former U.S. president Donald Trump, marking a notable shift in the industry’s political posture. Clegg left his role at Meta shortly before this trend began to crystallize.

Clegg’s forthcoming book promises to offer rare insights into the inner workings of one of the world’s most powerful companies. Having joined Meta (then Facebook) in 2018 as vice president of global affairs, he rose to become president of global affairs in 2022. During his tenure, he oversaw key issues such as content moderation, election integrity, and government relations worldwide.

Now back in the UK, Clegg appears ready to shed light not only on Meta’s inner corridors of power but also on the cultural undercurrents shaping Silicon Valley—and why he believes its culture of conformity and self-pity is a troubling sign for the future of the tech industry.