For the first five years of my life, I grew up in a log cabin in coastal British Columbia in a very small town, like 300 people, mostly hippies. No running water, no electricity. When I was 12, I changed my name from Dharma to Stewart. At that age, you just want to be normal.

The first part of this statement describes the speaker's early life spent in a remote and rustic environment in British Columbia, Canada. They lived in a small log cabin in a town with only about 300 inhabitants, many of whom were hippies, indicating an unconventional lifestyle. There was no running water or electricity, suggesting that they had to adapt to basic living conditions without modern amenities. The speaker also mentions changing their name from Dharma to Stewart at the age of twelve and expressing a desire to fit in by becoming more "normal."

The deeper meaning behind this quote reflects the human quest for identity and acceptance within society. By altering his name at a young age, the speaker demonstrates a significant personal transformation aimed at assimilating into a broader social context. This change suggests that despite growing up in an unconventional setting, there was still a strong desire to be recognized as part of mainstream culture. The quote also touches on the challenges faced by individuals raised outside conventional environments and their struggle to reconcile this background with the expectations of societal norms.

The speaker, Stewart Butterfield, is a Canadian software developer and entrepreneur known for his work in creating successful online platforms like Flickr and Slack. His unique upbringing contrasts sharply with his later achievements in the tech industry, highlighting how diverse life experiences can shape one's path and perspective in innovative ways.